Lima, October 17, 2023 – The football maestro Lionel Messi showcased his brilliance yet again as he netted two goals, leading Argentina to a convincing 2-0 triumph over Peru in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The Inter Miami star, who recently graced Major League Soccer, raised his international goal tally to 106 with his strikes in the 32nd and 42nd minutes at Lima’s Estadio Nacional. Messi’s first-half brace not only secured a resounding victory but also placed the reigning world champions atop the South American qualifying table with a perfect record of 12 points from four games. They currently enjoy a comfortable five-point lead over Uruguay, Brazil, and Venezuela, all of whom have seven points.
Messi, who was restored to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the previous game, displayed no signs of the injuries that had limited his recent appearances in Major League Soccer. The 36-year-old legend emphatically opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark and added a second 10 minutes later, capitalizing on Enzo Fernandez’s fine work along the left flank.
This win firmly positions Argentina on track to return to the World Cup finals in 2026, which will feature 48 teams and be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The top six teams in South America’s 10-team qualifying competition will secure their spots in the prestigious tournament.
In contrast, arch-rivals Brazil endured a nightmarish outing, suffering a shocking 2-0 defeat in Montevideo, their first loss against Uruguay in 22 years. The defeat was compounded by the sight of veteran forward Neymar being stretchered off just before half-time due to a suspected knee injury.
Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez opened the scoring with a powerful header on 42 minutes, breaking the deadlock in a gritty first half at the Estadio Centenario. The Liverpool striker played a pivotal role in Uruguay’s second goal, skillfully setting up Nicolas de la Cruz, who fired past Brazil’s goalkeeper Ederson on 77 minutes, sealing a memorable 2-0 victory. This win marked Uruguay’s first World Cup qualifying triumph over Brazil since 2001.
The defeat adds to the recent disappointments for Brazil, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Venezuela in the previous round. Brazilian team officials announced that Neymar would undergo examinations in Sao Paulo to assess the nature of his injury.
In another exciting fixture, Venezuela bolstered their hopes of securing a place in the World Cup for the first time with a dominant 3-0 victory over Chile in Maturin. Yeferson Soteldo shone brightly, scoring the opening goal and assisting veteran striker Salomon Rondon and Darwin Machis for second-half goals.
Soteldo’s opening goal came during stoppage time at the end of the first half, a low-angled shot that nestled into the bottom corner, delighting the home crowd. The Santos winger was also instrumental in Venezuela’s second and third goals, showcasing his skills on the left wing.
Elsewhere, Paraguay secured their first victory in the qualifiers, defeating Bolivia 1-0 in Asuncion with a 69th-minute strike from Antonio Sanabria. Bolivia remains at the bottom of the standings, while Paraguay occupies the seventh spot with three points from four games.
In Quito, Colombia maintained their unbeaten start to the qualifiers, securing a goalless draw away to Ecuador.