FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CONMEBOL

Venezuela vs Argentina, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - CONMEBOL

· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CONMEBOL
Venezuela
  • 65': Salomón Rondón
FT
1 - 1
Argentina
  • 13': Nicolás Otamendi

Argentina held by Venezuela on rain-soaked pitch as Messi returns

Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday in Lionel Messi's return to international duty in the South America's World Cup qualifiers.

Match Timeline

  • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
  • 0': First Half begins.
  • 2': Foul by Jon Aramburu (Venezuela).
  • 2': Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 4': Delay in match because of an injury José Martínez (Venezuela).
  • 4': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 4': Hand ball by Nahuel Ferraresi (Venezuela).
  • 5': Foul by Tomás Rincón (Venezuela).
  • 5': Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 6': Foul by Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina).
  • 6': José Martínez (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 7': Foul by Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina).
  • 7': Yangel Herrera (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 8': Foul by Tomás Rincón (Venezuela).
  • 8': Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 9': Attempt saved. Tomás Rincón (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
  • 10': Foul by José Martínez (Venezuela).
  • 10': Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 10': Foul by Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina).
  • 10': Tomás Rincón (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 11': Enzo Fernández (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 11': Foul by Salomón Rondón (Venezuela).
  • 12': Attempt blocked. Thiago Almada (Argentina) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
  • 12': Foul by Alexander González (Venezuela).
  • 12': Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 13': Goal! Venezuela 0, Argentina 1. Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a set piece situation.
  • 15': Offside, Venezuela. Yeferson Soteldo is caught offside.
  • 16': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Germán Pezzella.
  • 17': Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Yordan Osorio.
  • 19': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Nahuel Molina.
  • 20': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Giovani Lo Celso.
  • 20': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Nicolás Tagliafico.
  • 21': Attempt saved. José Martínez (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
  • 22': Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Nahuel Ferraresi.
  • 22': Attempt missed. Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Thiago Almada with a cross following a corner.
  • 23': Attempt missed. Alexander González (Venezuela) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is too high.
  • 24': Foul by Germán Pezzella (Argentina).
  • 24': Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 26': Attempt blocked. Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yangel Herrera.
  • 26': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Germán Pezzella.
  • 27': Attempt missed. Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Yordan Osorio following a corner.
  • 27': Offside, Venezuela. Salomón Rondón is caught offside.
  • 28': Delay in match because of an injury Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina).
  • 28': Delay in match because of an injury Tomás Rincón (Venezuela).
  • 29': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 29': Attempt saved. Julián Alvarez (Argentina) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rodrigo De Paul.
  • 30': Foul by Tomás Rincón (Venezuela).
  • 30': Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 31': Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Argentina) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Julián Alvarez.
  • 32': Foul by José Martínez (Venezuela).
  • 32': Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 32': José Martínez (Venezuela) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 35': Foul by Julián Alvarez (Argentina).
  • 35': Jon Aramburu (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 37': Enzo Fernández (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 37': Foul by Yangel Herrera (Venezuela).
  • 40': Hand ball by Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina).
  • 40': Attempt saved. Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yeferson Soteldo.
  • 41': Offside, Venezuela. Jon Aramburu is caught offside.
  • 42': Foul by Salomón Rondón (Venezuela).
  • 42': Gerónimo Rulli (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 43': Foul by Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina).
  • 43': Nahuel Ferraresi (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 44': Offside, Venezuela. Yangel Herrera is caught offside.
  • 45': Foul by Alexander González (Venezuela).
  • 45': Thiago Almada (Argentina) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 45'+1': Attempt missed. Enzo Fernández (Argentina) right footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set piece situation.
  • 45'+1': Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
  • 45'+1': Foul by Jon Aramburu (Venezuela).
  • 45'+1': Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 45'+2': First Half ends, Venezuela 0, Argentina 1.
  • 45': Second Half begins Venezuela 0, Argentina 1.
  • 45': Substitution, Argentina. Gonzalo Montiel replaces Thiago Almada.
  • 47': Foul by Enzo Fernández (Argentina).
  • 47': Yangel Herrera (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 48': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Nicolás Otamendi.
  • 48': Attempt saved. Yangel Herrera (Venezuela) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yeferson Soteldo with a cross.
  • 49': Foul by Enzo Fernández (Argentina).
  • 49': Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 50': Foul by Nahuel Molina (Argentina).
  • 50': Jon Aramburu (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 50': Enzo Fernández (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 50': Foul by Salomón Rondón (Venezuela).
  • 51': Attempt saved. Yangel Herrera (Venezuela) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
  • 52': Attempt blocked. Julián Alvarez (Argentina) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lionel Messi.
  • 52': Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Yordan Osorio.
  • 57': Foul by Salomón Rondón (Venezuela).
  • 57': Germán Pezzella (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 58': Foul by Alexander González (Venezuela).
  • 58': Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 59': Substitution, Venezuela. Jhonder Cádiz replaces Tomás Rincón.
  • 59': Substitution, Venezuela. Darwin Machís replaces Jefferson Savarino.
  • 61': Foul by Yeferson Soteldo (Venezuela).
  • 61': Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 63': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Nicolás Tagliafico.
  • 64': Attempt blocked. Jhonder Cádiz (Venezuela) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nahuel Ferraresi.
  • 65': Attempt blocked. Yeferson Soteldo (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Salomón Rondón.
  • 65': Goal! Venezuela 1, Argentina 1. Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yeferson Soteldo with a cross.
  • 68': Substitution, Argentina. Leonardo Balerdi replaces Giovani Lo Celso.
  • 69': Delay in match because of an injury Darwin Machís (Venezuela).
  • 70': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 71': Attempt blocked. José Martínez (Venezuela) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked. Assisted by Jon Aramburu.
  • 71': Corner, Venezuela. Conceded by Nicolás Otamendi.
  • 71': Attempt missed. Jhonder Cádiz (Venezuela) header from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Darwin Machís with a cross following a corner.
  • 73': Attempt saved. Lionel Messi (Argentina) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rodrigo De Paul with a through ball.
  • 73': Foul by Julián Alvarez (Argentina).
  • 73': Jon Aramburu (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 75': Enzo Fernández (Argentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 75': Foul by Jhonder Cádiz (Venezuela).
  • 76': Corner, Argentina. Conceded by Alexander González.
  • 78': Delay in match because of an injury Yangel Herrera (Venezuela).
  • 79': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 79': Foul by Yangel Herrera (Venezuela).
  • 79': Julián Alvarez (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 79': Foul by José Martínez (Venezuela).
  • 79': Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 83': Foul by Enzo Fernández (Argentina).
  • 83': Yeferson Soteldo (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 84': Attempt blocked. Yeferson Soteldo (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 84': Attempt blocked. Yeferson Soteldo (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 85': Substitution, Argentina. Leandro Paredes replaces Enzo Fernández.
  • 85': Substitution, Argentina. Lautaro Martínez replaces Julián Alvarez.
  • 86': Offside, Venezuela. Jhonder Cádiz is caught offside.
  • 88': Offside, Venezuela. Yeferson Soteldo is caught offside.
  • 90': Delay in match (Argentina).
  • 90': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 90'+1': Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
  • 90'+2': Delay in match because of an injury José Martínez (Venezuela).
  • 90'+3': Substitution, Venezuela. Edson Castillo replaces José Martínez because of an injury.
  • 90'+4': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 90'+4': Foul by Germán Pezzella (Argentina).
  • 90'+4': Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 90'+4': Germán Pezzella (Argentina) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 90'+5': Attempt blocked. Salomón Rondón (Venezuela) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 90'+6': Second Half ends, Venezuela 1, Argentina 1.
  • 0': Match ends, Venezuela 1, Argentina 1.

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifying - CONMEBOL

Venue: Estadio Monumental de Maturín
Location: Maturin, Venezuela
Attendance: 50,000

WCQ - CONMEBOL Table

# TEAM GP GD PTS
1 Argentina 18 +21 38
2 Ecuador 18 +9 29
3 Colombia 18 +10 28
4 Uruguay 18 +10 28
Full Table

Line-Ups

VEN Venezuela (4-3-3)

No. Name
22 Rafael Romo (GK)
2 Nahuel Ferraresi
3 Yordan Osorio
4 Jon Aramburu
21 Alexander González
8 Tomás Rincón
13 José Andrés Martínez Yellow Card
6 Yangel Herrera
23 Salomón Rondón
10 Yeferson Soteldo
7 Jefferson Savarino
Venezuela Substitutes:
Telasco Segovia, Rubén Ramírez, José Contreras, Kervin Andrade, Delvin Alfonzo, Jhonder Cádiz, Edson Castillo, Christian Makoun, Bryant Ortega, Alain Baroja, Darwin Machis, Eduard Bello.

ARG Argentina (4-1-2-1-2)

No. Name
12 Gerónimo Rulli (GK)
19 Nicolás Otamendi
6 Germán Pezzella Yellow Card
8 Enzo Fernández
3 Nicolás Tagliafico
16 Nahuel Molina
15 Thiago Almada
11 Giovani Lo Celso
7 Rodrigo De Paul
10 Lionel Messi
9 Julián Álvarez
Argentina Substitutes:
Gonzalo Montiel, Lautaro Martínez, Facundo Buonanotte, Lisandro Martínez, Exequiel Palacios, Julio Soler, Leonardo Balerdi, Nico Paz, Juan Musso, Alexis Mac Allister, Walter Benítez, Leandro Paredes.

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