Frustration for Messi as Brazil Swiftly Diverts Major Predicaments
Lionel Messi makes his return to the Argentine national team following a two-month absence due to an ankle injury, but their performance in Venezuela results in a shared point. Meanwhile, despite facing depletion, Brazil can celebrate following a hard-earned 2-1 victory against Chile in their World Cup qualifier, securing a much-needed three points and boosting their position in the standings.
Brazil's opponent, Chile, got off to a strong start, with Eduardo Vargas heading home an early goal after just over a minute, left Brazil trying to catch up for most of the game. Brazil's loss of starting goalkeeper Alisson Becker and star striker Vinicius Jr. certainly didn't make things easier. Brazil managed to equalize in the dying minutes of the first half with a header from Igor Jesus, who stepped in for Vinicius.
The winning goal came from Luiz Henrique just before the end of the game. Rodrygo from Real Madrid praised their comeback effort, "We conceded an early goal which put us off guard a bit, but we remained resilient, focusing solely on making a comeback."
Overcoming adversity
In their last five qualifiers, Brazil had suffered four losses, including a recent loss to Paraguay. However, this win not only helped them recover from this slump but also enabled them to climb up to fourth place in the race towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The top six teams secure direct qualification for the final tournament, while the seventh-placed team is awarded an opportunity to play in the playoffs. Chile, on the other hand, continues to struggle, holding the ninth position in the table. Brazil's next match is against Peru, while Chile confronts Colombia.
Earlier, Argentina had drawn their match against Venezuela in Maturín, following prolonged rain delays. The game was put on hold for over three hours due to the need to remove water from the pitch.
Messi's return
Benfica Lisbon's Nicolás Otamendi gave Argentina an early lead in the 13th minute, with Salomón Rondón equalizing for Venezuela in the 65th minute. Upon Messi's comeback for the Argentine national team, they were able to maintain their leading position in South America. Messi was sidelined for about two months due to his ankle injury experienced during the Copa América final. He made his return for his club, Inter Miami, midway through September. This match saw Argentina missing goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who had received a two-game suspension for offensive gestures. Argentina currently leads the table with 19 points following nine games.
After their challenging victory against Chile, Brazil looks forward to their next match against Peru, aiming to maintain their momentum in the World Cup qualifiers. Despite Chile's early goal by Eduardo Vargas, Brazil showed resilience and managed to secure a comeback victory, led by Igor Jesus' header and Luiz Henrique's winning goal.
Meanwhile, in a different qualifier, Argentina and Venezuela shared points after heavy rain delays, with Salomón Rondón equalizing for Venezuela against Lionel Messi's return to the Argentine national team. Argentina, with Messi back in form, continues to lead the South American qualifiers with 19 points after nine games.
