While Argentina controlled much of the first half with their trademark precision, the second half saw a reversal in momentum.
Argentina continued their dominant march through the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Thursday. La Albiceleste secured a narrow 1-0 win over struggling Chile thanks to a moment of brilliance from Julian Alvarez. The Atletico Madrid forward struck early in the 16th minute, finishing off a quick counter-attack led by Thiago Almada.
Almada’s electric run through midfield sliced open the Chilean defense and the Lyon midfielder then produced a brilliant through ball, allowing Alvarez to apply the finishing touch with a clever chip past the onrushing Chilean goalkeeper.
While Argentina controlled much of the first half with their trademark precision, the second half saw a reversal in momentum. Chile were desperate to keep their slim World Cup hopes alive and the home team pushed forward aggressively in the final stages. They even came close to leveling the score on several occasions but Emiliano Martinez stood tall between the posts. The Aston Villa goalkeeper pulled off two vital saves to preserve Argentina’s slender lead.
Lionel Messi entered the fray in the 57th minute to help see out the match but the Inter Miami star had a quiet outing with little influence on proceedings. With the win, La Albiceleste have extended their lead at the top of the CONMEBOL standings to 34 points from 15 matches. They are now 10 points clear of second-placed Ecuador.
Their spot at the 2026 World Cup was already secured, but this victory further cemented their status as the region’s top team. For Chile, the result was a bitter blow. Ricardo Gareca’s side remains rooted to the bottom of the table with just 10 points. With only a few qualifiers remaining and a five-point gap between them and the seventh-place playoff spot, their hopes of reaching the World Cup are all but over.
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