Julius OkorieArgentina have sealed their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thus joining Japan as the two countries whose places have been confirmed for the biggest medial that will feature 48 countries for the first time.
Argentina, who are defending champions of the World Cup, after clinching the title at the expense of France in Qatar, achieved the latest feat by defeating arch rivals, Brazil 4-1 on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe match showcased the talents of players like Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone, highlighting Argentina’s strength as the reigning world champion
Their qualification had been secured earlier in the day after Bolivia’s 0-0 draw with Uruguay, creating an uplifting atmosphere at the Estadio Monumental before the match even began.
Alvarez set the tone for the evening by scoring within the first six minutes, taking advantage of a well-placed through ball from Thiago Almada and skillfully finishing past Brazil’s goalkeeper, Bento.
READ ALSO:Revealed: Messi To Miss Argentina’s World Cup Qualifiers Against Uruguay, Brazil
Just six minutes later, Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez capitalised on Brazil’s defensive struggles, converting a low cross to double Argentina’s advantage. Although Brazil briefly rallied after a mistake by Cristian Romero allowed Mattheus Cunha to score in the 26th minute, the Argentine team quickly regained momentum.
Alexis Mac Allister extended Argentina’s lead in the 37th minute with a brilliant volley, following an impressive pass from Almada, making the score 3-1. Argentina’s dominance continued as Giuliano Simeone made his mark by scoring his first international goal in the 71st minute, showcasing his skills with a powerful shot from a tight angle to seal the victory at 4-1. It was a match that saw Argentina posting 90% accuracy in passes with 56% possession.
The World Cup champions had no need for their iconic captain, Lionel Messi, who has been sidelined by injury and who has missed two of the qualifiers so far.
With this victory, Argentina has solidified their place in next year’s World Cup finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, achieving this with four matches still to play. They currently lead the 10-team qualifying group with 31 points from 14 games, securing one of the six automatic slots for South America, while Brazil is placed fourth.
In other matches within the South American qualifiers, Ecuador maintained their qualification hopes with a 0-0 draw against Chile, holding second place in the standings with 23 points. Meanwhile, Uruguay’s draw with Bolivia and Brazil’s defeat allowed them to move up to third on goal difference.
Colombia had a chance to close the gap but settled for a 2-2 draw against Paraguay, despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the match.
On a positive note for Venezuela, they achieved a vital 1-0 win against Peru, with Salomon Rondon scoring a penalty in the 41st minute, boosting their aspirations for their first-ever World Cup qualification. This victory moved Venezuela into seventh place, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
