No Lionel Messi? No problem! Angel Di Maria and Enzo Fernandez made Argentina forget about Messi absence in World Cup qualification win against Bolivia.
- Fernandez, Tagliafico and Gonzalez scored
- Bolivia had player sent off
- Argentina won without star player Messi
TELL ME MORE: Lionel Messi sat on the bench as his Albiceleste teammates won their second qualifying match, moving them to the top of the standings. Just after the half-hour mark, Fernandez snuck in to meet Angel Di Maria’s cross, putting his team ahead.
Soon after, Bolivia was reduced to 10 men after Roberto Fernandez was sent out for a second yellow card for another incident barely 20 minutes earlier. Argentina quickly capitalized on their advantage, as Tagliafico was found unmarked in the box by Di Maria and nodded in to increase their lead. The visitors increased their lead at the end when Nico Gonzalez finished well after taking on a feed from Exequiel Palacios.
Despite a poor start with some errant passes, stand-in captain Di Maria emerged as the hero in Messi’s absence by creating two good scoring chances. He was also crucial while his team was not in possession, as the Benfica hero chased down Bolivian players in an attempt to reclaim the ball.
THE BIG LOSER: Bolivia’s difficult job was made all but impossible once Fernandez went off in the first half, as was shown by Argentina putting the game beyond doubt shortly after he was sent down the tunnel with his second booking.
WHAT NEXT? While Messi and others return to club activity, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni will begin preparing for next month’s qualifying encounter against Paraguay.
