SAN FRANCISCO, October 09, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi was the difference as Argentina opened their South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) World Cup qualifying campaign with a lone goal win over Ecuador.
These qualifiers for Qatar 2022 were scheduled to start in March, but were postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Messi and Argentina finally took to the pitch at the iconic La Bombonera on Thursday, and the superstar captain’s 13th-minute penalty settled the contest in Buenos Aires.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner took his international tally to 71 goals. The win also means Argentina extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches, going as far back as their third-place play-off victory over Chile at the 2019 Copa America.
Messi, Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and attacking midfielder for Serie A club Udinese Rodrigo De Paul were in the starting XI for Argentina, while Juventus star Paulo Dybala was a late withdrawal due to a stomach problem.
Argentina were handed the chance to open the scoring just 13 minutes in when a wild challenge from Ecuador defender Pervis Estupinan, who plies his trade with Spanish side Villarreal, chopped down the Argentine Sevilla player Lucas Ocampos inside the penalty area, and Messi made no mistake from the spot.
Although Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina dictated proceedings, both teams struggled to get some fluidity going in their first international matches in almost a year.
Ecuador had a chance to equalise in the second minute of first-half stoppage time as Erick Ferigra found himself unmarked at the back post following a teasing set-piece, but it would not have counted anyway as he had been flagged offside.
Ocampos then thought he had made it 2-0 for Argentina just three minutes into the second half as a lovely cushioned header from Martinez teed up the Sevilla star. But, Ecuadorian goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez produced a stunning one-handed save to tip the ball around the post.
The second half was a largely dull affair as Argentina held on for maximum points in their first appearance of 2020.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
