Messi was returning to international football after Inter Miami’s disappointing elimination from the MLS at the hands of Atlanta United. This situation placed the Albiceleste captain under the spotlight, after his last performance against Bolivia. This time they had to play as a visitor against Paraguay, passing through Asunción, where the stadium felt, to a certain extent, hostile due to the absence of their fans… and full of fans eager to experience the excitement of the South American qualifiers once further.
Paraguay showed a change of fortune under the direction of Gustavo Alfaro, who entered the field determined to impose their energy. In what began as an early attempt, Argentina took the lead with a goal from Lautaro Martínez, which was greeted with suspense after the Inter striker appeared to be offside. The goal was initially disallowed, but VAR intervened, allowing Lionel Scaloni’s team to take the lead.
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La Albirroja, also basing its strategy on defense, did not collapse after going down on the scoreboard. Almirón, Enciso and Diego Gómez injected fervor into the Paraguayan attack, and by seeking to level the score, the locals did so. Gustavo Gómez first warned with a header that made the crossbar vibrate, and shortly after, Sanabria executed a perfect bicycle to beat ‘Dibu’ Martínez, who returned to the national team after serving a suspension.
Halftime was enough for Paraguay to regain their energy, and on the first play of the second half, they capitalized on a set piece situation. Alderete emerged with an unstoppable header, surprising Argentina and putting his team ahead at home.
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Even though Messi did not have his best game, the Argentine ’10’ tried to change the tide. His team’s plays improved with his intervention, but on many occasions they were far from the rival goal. Furthermore, Paraguay’s commitment thwarted Argentina’s opportunities to cause disturbances within the opponent’s area. Gustavo Alfaro’s team showed solidarity, both in defending spaces and in high pressure.
While Paraguay experiences a rebirth under the leadership of the Argentine coach, a strange sensation has settled in Argentina when playing as a visitor. The Copa América champions have failed to win their last three away games in the qualifiers… And the pressure on qualification continues to increase.
