World champions Argentina won their second match of World Cup qualifying for the 2026 finals to nil and completed a special dozen at the same time. The Albiceleste achieved this in Bolivia even without leader Messi.
At an altitude of over 3,600 metres in La Paz, Bolivia, coach Luis Scaloni had to do without his captain Messi, as expected, who was not in the squad but took a seat on the bench. In South America’s qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup, which Argentina started successfully with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, di Maria started in place of Messi and took over his captain’s armband.
Enzo Fernandez dusts down
The Benfica Lisbon winger also paved the way for Enzo Fernandez to take the lead (31st). Di Maria cleverly laid into the middle after Alvarez (ManCity), who had started for Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, bench), had initiated. Chelsea’s Fernandez had only to put his foot in it.
Red for Roberto Fernandez
Another Fernandez drew negative attention for this: Bolivia’s Roberto, namesake of Argentina’s Enzo, was too late against defender Romero (Tottenham) and was sent off (39.).
Gonzalez closes the bag
The Argentinians, who were outnumbered, finished the game without conceding a goal, as they had done against Ecuador, Tagliafico having scored the 2-0 goal before the break from a free-kick by di Maria (42). Shortly before the end, substitute Gonzalez (now AC Florence) scored the 3-0 final goal (83rd).
Even without the now 36-year-old Messi, who is making a splash in the USA with Inter Miami but was “tired” and spared according to coach Scaloni, Argentina completed a dozen and won their twelfth game in a row. The top favourites alongside Brazil for what are now six World Cup spots for South America are fully on course for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Argentina first face Paraguay in the upcoming international fixture on 13 October (2am CEST). Five days later, the Scaloni team has to play Peru.
