Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The classified Argentine team, with an inspired Lionel Messi and an anthology goal by Ángel Di María, extended their unbeaten record to 30 games this Friday and said goodbye to their fans with a party before the Qatar-2022 World Cup, by thrashing 3-0 against the eliminated Venezuela.
On a cold autumn night at the Alberto J. Armando “La Bombonera” stadium in Buenos Aires, the Albiceleste won with goals from Nicolás González, Di María and their captain: Messi.
With this victory, an Argentina already qualified for the World Cup reached 38 points to be second behind the leader Brazil, while a rebuilding Venezuela remains in last place with 10 points.
THE ACTIONS OF THE GAME
The match was intense from the beginning with an Albiceleste seeking to make up for their absences with Messi as the footballing axis in search of teaming up with Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa.
For its part, Venezuela appealed to a physical and rough game to prevent the rival’s associated play and seek their offensive reference in Salomón Rondón, in partnership with Josef Martínez.
Argentina had some options to open the scoring but had to wait until minute 35 in a partnership between debutant Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul, who scored a low center for the arrival of Nicolás González’s goal.
Argentina had the opportunity to increase the score before the break and Venezuela had their opportunity to tie it with an arrival from Salomón Rondón, but neither of them managed to convert and the Albiceleste went into the break with a minimal difference.
In the second half, Argentina kept up the pressure but had an instant break when Ángel Di María entered because the PSG player gave verticality and depth to the local attack.
And it was Di María himself who at minute 78 received a deep pass from De Paul to hook up when he reached the area and with an exquisite lob to define over Wuilker Fariñez and two Vinotinto defenders.
And just three minutes later, a pass from Di María found Lionel Messi alone, who with a faulty shot from the right put the final touch to the game and the Argentine victory.
On the last day of the road from Conmebol to Qatar 2022, Argentina will visit the also qualified Ecuador in Guayaquil, while Venezuela will receive an urgent and needy Colombia in Caracas.
-DATASHEET:
ARGENTINA: Franco Armani – Nahuel Molina Lucero, Nicolás Otamendi, German Pezzela, Nicolás Tagliafico – Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes (Guido Rodriguez 88), Alexis Mac Allister (Ángel Di María 70), Lionel Messi (cap), Nicolás González (Lucas Boye 88 ) – Joaquin Correa (Angel Correa 64).
DT: Lionel Scaloni.
VENEZUELA: Wuilker Faríñez – Roberto Rosales, John Chancellor, Nahuel Ferraresi, Christian Makoun, Miguel Navarro (John Murillo 46) – Cristian Cásseres Jr (Luis Gonzalez 62), Yangel Herrera (Darwin Machis 77), Jose Andres Martinez – José Salomón Rondón (cap) (Jefferson Savarino 83), Josef Martínez (Fernando Aristeguieta 62).
DT: Jose Peckerman.