Argentina faced a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday as Lionel Messi made his return to international football. Meanwhile, Brazil revived their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Chile.
Messi, sidelined in September due to injury, looked poised to lead Argentina to victory. He played a pivotal role in setting up the opening goal for Nicolas Otamendi in the 13th minute, following a well-placed free-kick in Maturin, Venezuela.
However, Venezuela put up a strong fight in front of their home fans, equalizing in the second half. Veteran striker Salomon Rondon scored with a header, connecting with Yeferson Soteldo’s cross to beat Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Despite dropping points, the 2022 World Cup champions remain well-positioned for qualification for the 2026 finals, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams, with the top six finishers from South America’s qualifying round securing a spot.
Argentina leads the standings with 19 points from nine matches, three points ahead of Colombia, who suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Bolivia in another qualifying match.
In contrast, Brazil had a more challenging outing against Chile. The match began with a shock as Eduardo Vargas put Chile ahead just two minutes in, scoring with a looping header over Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson.
Brazil equalized just before halftime when Savinho set up Botafogo forward Igor Jesus for a header. The match appeared headed for a draw until the 89th minute, when substitute Luiz Henrique fired in a low shot from the edge of the area to secure a 2-1 win for Brazil, lifting them to fourth place in the standings with 13 points from nine games, trailing leaders Argentina.
– Bolivia’s Rising Hopes –
Elsewhere, Bolivia bolstered their World Cup aspirations with a 1-0 victory over Colombia in El Alto, a city located at approximately 4,150 meters (13,600 feet) above sea level. Miguel Terceros scored the only goal of the match, marking Bolivia’s fourth win in qualifying and propelling them into automatic qualification positions.
Bolivia’s strategy to relocate matches to El Alto has yielded positive results, as they now sit sixth in the South American standings with 12 points from nine games. Terceros’s stunning goal came in the 58th minute, as he deftly maneuvered past defenders before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner.
Ecuador shares the same points tally but sits in fifth place after a goalless draw with Paraguay in Quito.