Messi-less Argentina draw as Chile crash again

Argentina, held 2-2 by Venezuela in their last game in September, dropped another two points in their trip to Lima to face Peru.

The Argentinians, missing injured captain Lionel Messi, looked to be heading for victory after Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori gave the visitors a deserved lead after 15 minutes.

However Peru fought back and levelled through all-time leading goalscorer Paolo Guerrero on 58 minutes.

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain restored Argentina’s lead with a 77th minute strike but Peru hit back once more, winning a penalty when Guerrero was bundled over in the box.

Christian Cueva stepped up to rifle home the spot-kick past Sergio Romero to give Peru a vital point with a 2-2 draw.

The draw leaves Argentina in the fifth and final qualifying spot, level with both Colombia and Ecuador on 15 points.

But the day’s results left clear daylight between Chile and the qualifying positions, with the back-to-back South American champions suffering a mauling against Ecuador.

Read also:  Messi donates shirt to help raise funds for hit-and-run victims

Chile were torn apart as Ecuador produced a rampant display at the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa.

Goals from Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia, Ferencvaros’s Cristian Ramirez and Espanyol’s Felipe Caicedo secured the points for the hosts.

Chile now have only 11 points from nine games and are five points adrift of the qualifying positions.

Downcast Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi gave no excuses for his star-studded team’s abject display.

“They were superior to us in every department,” Pizzi said. “They totally overwhelmed us, and won all of the individual battles. All we can do now is be honest give self criticism and then start thinking about Peru,” Pizzi added, referring to Chile’s next opponents.

 

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now