Argentina will finish the South American World Cup qualifiers in first place.
The Argentina national team won 1-0 against Chile on Thursday to extend their first place lead. Already qualified for the World Cup, Argentina are now on 34 points and Ecuador, who drew against Brazil, are in second place along with Paraguay on 24 hours.
Lionel Scaloni’s team will play Colombia on Tuesday and they are on 20 points. With three matches remaining in the qualifiers, the 10 point difference between Argentina and the second place teams means that even if Argentina were to lose all three of their remaining matches, they will remain first in the standings.
Emiliano Martínez reached 37 clean sheets with the Argentina national team.
Martínez kept a clean sheet in Argentina’s 1-0 win against Chile in the World Cup qualifiers on Thursday. The Argentine has now played 52 matches, winning four trophies and not allowing a goal in 37 of those matches.
His first clean sheet came in the 1-0 win against Uruguay at the 2021 Copa America. He has kept nine clean sheets in Copa America matches, three at the World Cup, one in the Finalissima, 16 in World Cup qualifying matches and eight in friendly games.
Franco Mastantuono made Argentina national team history.
Mastantuono played his first ever match with the senior Argentina national team in the 1-0 win against Chile. Playing in that match, Mastantuono became the youngest player to ever play a competitive match with the Argentina national team.
At 17 years and 295 days old, he is the youngest ever. The youngest to ever play a match, friendly or competitive, is Diego Maradona at 16 years and three months.
The 17 year old is also rumored to be joining Real Madrid and become the most expensive transfer in Argentine football history.
Argentina won 1-0 against Chile in the South American World Cup qualifiers with Julián Álvarez getting the goal and Franco Mastantuono getting his first match.
The first half saw Argentina have most of the ball and creating the most chances while scoring. While it was Argentina who scored the only goal of the first half, it was Chile who had the first opportunity.
The ball fell to Alexis Sanchez but his effort was saved by Emiliano Martínez. Argentina’s first chance came down the right side where Simeone played a pass into the penalty area and that was left by Álvarez to De Paul but his effort went high.
Argentina scored the first goal through a play started by Leonardo Balerdi. He would pass it to Thiago Almada and Almada would run at the Chilean back line, he would play a pass to Álvarez who would chip the goalkeeper and score to give Argentina the 1-0 lead.
Lionel Scaloni’s team would create more chances but the first half would end without anymore goals.
The second half would see Lionel Messi being substituted in for Nico Paz. Argentina were awarded two corner kicks and a free kick but were unable to score.
Scaloni would make two more substitutions. Facundo Medina on for Leonardo Balerdi and Ángel Correa on for Julián Álvarez.
Chile would have an opportunity on goal but it was saved by Emiliano Martínez and they would have another effort which was deflected by Romero and hit the crossbar. Argentina had a chance to score when Messi played a through ball to Giuliano Simeone but Simeone’s effort hit the side of the goal.
Scaloni would make two more substitutions. Franco Mastantuono was brought on for the Argentina national team for the first time as he was substituted in for Giuliano Simeone and Juan Foyth was brought on for Thiago Almada.
Emiliano Martínez would make a big save towards the end of the match to keep a clean sheet.
Argentina remain top of the South American World Cup qualifiers and they will play Colombia on Tuesday.
Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has announced his line-up for Thursday’s World Cup qualifying match against Chile and Nico Paz starts.
Lionel Scaloni starts Leonardo Balerdi, Exequiel Palacios, Thiago Almada and Nico Paz against Chile. Lionel Messi starts on the bench with Cristian Romero as captain. Here is the starting eleven:
Emiliano Martínez; Molina, Romero, Balerdi, Tagliafico; Simeone, De Paul, Palacios, Almada; Nico Paz and Julián Álvarez.
The bench: 1: Walter Benítez 12: Gerónimo Rulli 2: Juan Foyth 4: Kevin Lomónaco 5: Enzo Barrenechea 8: Emiliano Buendía 10: Lionel Messi 15: Facundo Medina 19: Valentín Barco 20: Franco Mastantuono 21: Ángel Correa 22: Lautaro Martínez
Mariano Troilo and Giovani Lo Celso do not make the bench for Argentina.
