Messi returns to Argentina, World Preliminary Round meets "Waterloo"
On the rain-soaked pitch, the blue and white jerseys of the Argentina team are particularly dazzling. When Messi set foot on this muddy ground with his teammates, who would have thought that it would be an unexpected battle of "Waterloo"?
Half an hour before the start of the game, the rain poured down, as if the heavens were baptizing this South American football feast. The water left the players walking on thin ice, and every move was fraught with uncertainty. Messi frowned, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes. This match is crucial for Argentina, who need a win to cement their lead in the South American qualifiers.
At the beginning of the first half, Argentina suffered a frightening moment. A mistake in the back pass was almost seized by Venezuela, but goalkeeper Rulli made a timely attack to defuse the crisis. This scene made the hearts of Argentina fans rise to their throats.
Messi's magic moment, Otamendi scores
In the 13th minute, Messi stood in front of the free kick spot, and the fans in the stadium waited with bated breath. I saw him kick lightly, and the ball flew towards the penalty area as if by magic. Otamendi seized the opportunity and fired a shot into the net! 1-0！ Argentina fans cheered, as if they saw the dawn of victory.
Football is always uncertain. Instead of being discouraged by falling behind, the Venezuela team launched a more ferocious offensive. Rondon's long-range shot scared the Argentina backline, while Alvarez's long-range shot was easily cleared by goalkeeper Morro.
Controversial decision, VAR was silent
In the 32nd minute of the game, a controversial decision sparked heated discussions on and off the pitch. Venezuela hoisted into the box up front and Pezzella appeared to have a handball while defending Longdong. The referee did not say anything and the VAR system remained silent. This scene made Venezuela fans angry, while Argentina fans secretly rejoiced.
Longdong is flat, and the Argentina dream is shattered
In the second half, the game entered the white-hot stage. The two sides came and went, and the scene was very intense. Just when Argentina fans thought victory was in sight, disaster struck in the 65th minute. After Sotedo broke through, he crossed and found Longdong. I saw Longdong leap to the top with a fish, and the ball went into the net! 1-1！ Venezuela finally equalized, and Argentina's dream of victory was shattered in an instant.
Messi's expression froze instantly, and he couldn't believe what was happening in front of him. It was a goal that seemed to give Argentina a blow to the head, and they couldn't find a good chance to find the back of the net in the following games.
Reflecting after the game, where does Argentina go from here?
In the end, the match ended with a score of 1-1. Although Argentina continue to lead the South American standings, this draw is undoubtedly a wake-up call. In an interview after the game, Messi said: "We need to reflect, we need to improve. This game has exposed some of our problems and we have to fix them as soon as possible. "
The match also sparked heated discussions among fans. Some people think that the Argentina team is too dependent on Messi and lacks team cooperation; It was also pointed out that the adverse weather conditions affected the team's performance. In any case, Argentina need to learn from this game and be well prepared for the next matches.
As a fan, what do you think of this game? Do you think there is room for improvement for Argentina? Feel free to share your views in the comment section! ⚽️