Colombia avenged their Copa America final defeat with a 2-1 victory over Argentina while Brazil crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Skipper James Rodriguez buried a nerveless 60th-minute spot-kick to seal a hard-fought win for Colombia over the reigning world champions, who were without injured captain Lionel Messi.<\/p>\n
It was sweet revenge for Colombia, who were beaten 1-0 by Argentina in a bitterly disappointing Copa America final loss in Miami two months ago.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think I’ve ever scored against them \u2013 there’s a first time for everything,” Colombia captain Rodriguez said of his winning spot-kick.<\/p>\n
“We want to get used to playing finals. Today was just another game, but against a team that has won everything \u2013 this victory tastes even better.”<\/p>\n
The victory at Barranquilla’s Metropolitano Stadium lifted Colombia into second place in South America’s 10-team qualifying competition with 16 points from eight points, just two points behind leaders Argentina.<\/p>\n
Colombia, backed by a passionate home crowd, took the lead in the 25th minute when Rodriguez chipped a cross to the back post where Yerson Mosquera rose to head home.<\/p>\n
But three minutes after the interval, the visitors drew level when a misplaced pass from Rodriguez was pounced upon by Nicolas Gonzalez, who raced away and slotted past advancing Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas.<\/p>\n
Twelve minutes later, though, Colombia restored their lead in controversial fashion.<\/p>\n
Nicolas Otamendi clattered Daniel Munoz with a wild challenge and after several minutes, Chilean referee Piero Maza was sent to the VAR monitor and awarded a penalty.<\/p>\n
Rodriguez stepped up and confidently slotted home, sending Argentina’s penalty specialist Emiliano Martinez the wrong way.<\/p>\n
Colombia striker Jhon Duran missed a great chance to make it 3-1 when he was found unmarked in the centre of the box but fired straight at Martinez.<\/p>\n
Despite the defeat, Argentina remain comfortably on course for a place at the 2026 World Cup which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n
With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, the top six finishers in South American qualifying will win a berth to the finals.<\/p>\n
The seventh placed team in qualifying goes into an inter-confederation playoff, with the bottom three teams eliminated.<\/p>\n
Five-time world champions Brazil meanwhile continued their unconvincing qualifying campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in Asuncion.<\/p>\n
Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez \u2013 who is reportedly due to join Premier League side Brighton at the end of the season \u2013 scored the game’s only goal, crashing a long-range shot in off the post in the 20th minute.<\/p>\n
The defeat leaves Brazil in fifth place in the standings on 10 points, leading by goal difference from Venezuela, who drew 0-0 at home to Uruguay on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Paraguay meanwhile moved into seventh place on nine points after just their second win of the qualifying campaign.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Chile’s hopes of qualifying suffered another body blow after they slumped to a 2-1 loss at home to Bolivia.<\/p>\n
After winning back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016, the Chileans failed to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.<\/p>\n
The prospect of missing out on a third straight tournament loomed closer after goals from Carmelo Algaranaz and Miguel Terceros handed Bolivia a 2-1 win.<\/p>\n
The victory left Chile languishing in ninth place in the standings with just five points from eight games as Bolivia climbed into eighth, trailing seventh-placed Paraguay on goal difference.<\/p>\n
Ecuador meanwhile boosted their qualification hopes with a 1-0 win over Peru in Quito thanks to a goal from veteran striker Enner Valencia.<\/p>\n
Ecuador sit in fourth place in the standings with 11 points from eight games. Peru remain bottom of the table with just three points from 10 games.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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