RIO DE JANEIRO — On Tuesday, Argentina achieved a narrow 1-0 victory over Peru in Buenos Aires during a South American World Cup qualifying match, thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martínez.
This win brings Lionel Messi’s team one step closer to qualifying for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The decisive moment occurred in the 55th minute when Messi delivered a cross inside the penalty area, allowing Martínez to capitalize on one of the few clear opportunities of the match.
As it stands, Argentina leads the South American qualifying standings with a total of 25 points from their 12 matches played. Meanwhile, Peru remains at the bottom of the table in the 10th position, having accumulated just seven points.
Before Martínez found the net, Argentina’s most promising chance had come earlier in the match, specifically in the 21st minute, when forward Julián Alvarez rattled the right post of the Peruvian goalkeeper.
Messi, although instrumental, did not shine brightly on this occasion, similar to his performance in the prior 2-1 defeat against Paraguay last Thursday.
In another match on Tuesday, Ecuador managed a 1-0 victory against Colombia with a goal from Enner Valencia, who skillfully maneuvered past three defenders before scoring in the seventh minute. Despite losing defender Piero Hincapié to a red card in the 34th minute, Ecuador was able to maintain their lead to secure the win.
Additionally, Bolivia and Paraguay played to a 2-2 draw, a result that may impact their chances of vying for the seventh position in the qualifying round, which would provide an opportunity for an international playoff.
Chile, struggling throughout the tournament, showed resilience by defeating Venezuela 4-2. The home team netted goals from Eduardo Vargas in the 20th minute, an own goal by Tomás Rincón in the 29th, and two goals from Lucas Cepeda in the 38th and 47th minutes. Venezuela responded with goals from Jefferson Savarino in the 13th minute and Ruben Ramirez in the 22nd.
Brazil faced Uruguay in a later match.
The next round of South American World Cup qualifying matches is scheduled for March.