Argentina continued their dominant run in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a convincing 3-0 victory over Chile at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The win solidifies Argentina’s position at the top of the South American standings with 18 points after seven matches, five points clear of their nearest rivals.Despite the absence of captain Lionel Messi due to an ankle injury, the reigning world champions demonstrated their depth and quality. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 48th minute, followed by a spectacular long-range effort from Julián Álvarez in the 84th minute. Paulo Dybala, making a return to the national team after an 18-month absence, sealed the victory with a goal in stoppage time.The match was also marked by an emotional tribute to Ángel Di María, who has retired from international football. Di María gave a brief speech, saying, ‘From now on, I’ll be cheering for you from the stands, I’ll be at every World Cup and Copa America’. Lionel Messi, though absent, sent a heartfelt video message to his long-time teammate.Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly in the second half. ‘It was a great day,’ Scaloni remarked, ‘the team played with intensity and suffocated the opponent in the early minutes’.The result leaves Chile in a precarious position, dropping to 9th place in the standings with only 5 points from seven matches. With only the top six teams qualifying directly for the World Cup, Chile faces an uphill battle to secure their place in the 2026 tournament.In other qualifying action, Bolivia secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Venezuela in a high-altitude match played in El Alto. The result has reignited discussions about the impact of altitude on performance in South American qualifiers.
Key points
- Argentina defeated Chile 3-0 in the World Cup 2026 qualifier, maintaining their lead in the South American standings.
- Paulo Dybala made a successful return to the national team, scoring in his first appearance in 18 months.
- Ángel Di María was honored for his retirement from international football, receiving tributes from fans and teammates.
- Bolivia’s 4-0 win over Venezuela in El Alto has reignited discussions about the impact of altitude on South American qualifiers.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in reporting Chile’s position in the standings.
Some sources state Chile is in 9th place with 5 points, while others mention 7th place with 5 points.
