Argentina faced a surprising 2-1 defeat to Paraguay in their 2026 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier on Thursday night.
The match, held in Asunción, saw Argentina take an early lead through Lautaro Martinez in the 11th minute. However, Paraguay quickly equalized with Antonio Sanabria’s goal just eight minutes later.
The turning point came early in the second half when Omar Alderete scored the winning goal for Paraguay, securing their first triumph over Argentina since 2016. The defeat was particularly frustrating for Lionel Messi, who confronted the match officials over perceived officiating inconsistencies.
Despite the loss, Argentina remains at the top of the CONMEBOL standings with 22 points, while Paraguay moves into the sixth automatic qualification spot.
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