Pachuca star Salomón Rondón played a decisive role in a match that confirmed the strong bid of the Venezuelan national team for their first World Cup qualification, directly confronting the reigning world champions, who aligned Lionel Messi in the starting lineup.
It should be noted that the match was marred by torrential rain before kick-off, affecting pitch conditions and the normal flow of play.
The visitors took the lead after a mistake by Venezuelan goalkeeper Rafael Romo, who misplayed a ball that Nicolás Otamendi was able to convert in the 13th minute.
However, the home side did not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by their formidable opponents and gradually began to create dangerous chances. Finally, in the second half, Rondón equalized with a goal in the 65th minute.
The match also saw several familiar faces from Liga MX for Venezuela, including former Tigres player Yeferson Soteldo, ex-Juárez footballer Darwin Machís, and current Club León top scorer Jhonder Cádiz.
