The world champions lost for the first time in 298 days! Argentina could not cope without Messi
Kirill Zakatchenko September 11, 2024, 01:50 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Gámez passed, scored and drove home. And Columbia extended the astonishing series.
While European teams are battling it out in the new Nations League, World Cup qualifying is in full swing in South America. The first match of the new round of play saw Colombia and Argentina, the third and first teams in the tournament respectively, face each other.
Two months ago, these teams met in the Copa America final. The Argentines then put the pressure on their opponents, but only in extra time. This time, the reigning world champions took to the field without Messi: Lionel is recovering from an injury. By the way, he welcomed him in that same Copa America final. The Colombians, in turn, released James Rodriguez in the starting eleven. In the last match against Peru (1-1), the captain came on only after the break. And the RPL players Kevin Castaño and John Córdoba were left in the reserves.
We recall the details of the Copa America final:
Video
It was painful to see Messi sobbing. But Argentina “gnawed” at Kopa even without Leo! Video
It was James who scored the goal against the visitors. A soft cross from the midfielder found the head of Yerson Mosquera, who finished from a couple of meters. Who held the defense in this episode? Correct answer: nobody. I immediately had to look at the list of results of the Argentine national team to find the last defeat there. This was recorded in November 2023, then the world champions “burned” in the match against Uruguay (0-2).
In the second, Yerson Mosquera (jumping) will surprise the Argentine team
Photo: Andrés Rot/Getty Images
Argentina did little in the first half. I only remember the moment that Julián Álvarez gave it to them, that Camilo Vargas gave it to them. The Colombian goalkeeper’s “bringing” was not effective only because Álvarez shot from distance (almost from the corner flag) at an acute angle.
The start of the second half is a nightmare for James. Rodriguez made a careless pass in his own half that Nico Gonzalez took advantage of. The Argentinean escaped from the defender, stayed on his feet after the contact and pushed the ball past the goalkeeper. Hames assisted in the first half and then scored an own goal in the second.
Nico Gonzalez celebrates a goal
Photo: Andrés Rot/Getty Images
But Rodriguez quickly corrected himself. We must thank Nicolas Otamendi for this. The Argentine defender caught Daniel Muñoz’s leg in his area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot after watching the replay. But James left no chance for Emiliano Martinez: you can’t take those blows.
In the 79th minute, Colombian national team coach Néstor Lorenzo brought on two new Krasnodar players (Córdoba and Castaño) at the same time. At the end of the matches, the home team focused on maintaining their winning result. Lautaro Martínez was playing for Argentina. But in the first case his shot was blocked and in the second the Inter striker never shot after shaking the defender.
Córdoba had a chance to score, but his shot went over the crossbar. However, his team held on to the victory. Let’s fix two indicators. Firstly, the Argentines lost for the first time in 298 days. This is their second defeat in the qualifying round. Secondly, Colombia has not lost in regular time since February 2022, that is, more than two years. The only team with a zero in the “defeat” column in the South American national team.
Argentina’s previous defeat:
Argentina and Brazil’s historic failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Messi also went crazy
