{"id":99518,"date":"2023-09-13T11:23:42","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T11:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/13\/argentina-beat-bolivia-without-messi-as-brazil-win-late\/"},"modified":"2023-09-13T11:23:42","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T11:23:42","slug":"argentina-beat-bolivia-without-messi-as-brazil-win-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/13\/argentina-beat-bolivia-without-messi-as-brazil-win-late\/","title":{"rendered":"Argentina beat Bolivia without Messi as Brazil win late"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Argentina have won six successive matches since their penalty shootout win over France in the World Cup final in December
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Argentina rested Lionel Messi but still beat Bolivia 3-0 to make it two wins from two in World Cup qualifying.<\/p>\n

Chelsea\u2019s Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring, with further strikes from Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Gonzalez sealing victory in La Paz.<\/p>\n

Brazil also secured their second win after beating Peru 1-0 thanks to a 90th-minute goal from Marquinhos.<\/p>\n

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Marcelo Bielsa suffered his first defeat in charge of Uruguay after Ecuador came from behind to win 2-1.<\/p>\n

Bielsa\u2019s side, who beat Chile on Saturday, took the lead through Agustin Canobbio, but a goal in each half from Felix Torres secured the win for Ecuador, who also missed a penalty through Enner Valencia.<\/p>\n

\"Lionel
Lionel Messi watched the Bolivia game from the bench despite not being named as a substitute<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Messi watched Argentina\u2019s victory from the bench but was not listed among the substitutes having complained of tiredness after scoring the only goal in Wednesday\u2019s win against Ecuador.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeo was not ready to play,\u201d said boss Lionel Scaloni after the game. \u201cHe tried to recover, but he did not feel comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Manchester United midfielder Angel di Maria captained the side in Messi\u2019s absence and provided the cross for Fernandez to stroke home a first-half opener.<\/p>\n

Bolivia forward Roberto Fernandez was then sent off for a high challenge on Cristian Romero before Tagliafico headed home Di Maria\u2019s free-kick before the break.<\/p>\n

Julian Alvarez hit the post in the second half as the world champions continued to dominate before Gonzalez wrapped up the win with a left-footed drive late on.<\/p>\n

Brazil\u00a0<\/strong>are the only other side in South American qualifying to make a perfect start but were frustrated for large periods by a defiant Peru side in Lima.<\/p>\n

The game looked to be heading for a draw before Neymar\u2019s in-swinging corner was glanced home at the near post by by Marquinhos.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere,\u00a0Chile\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Colombia\u00a0<\/strong>played out a goalless draw in Santiago, while a stoppage-time penalty from Salomon Rondon secured a 1-0 victory for\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0<\/strong>against\u00a0Paraguay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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