It was not a recital as in the win against Uruguay, but it was a sober production. There was no brilliance, but there was conviction to star in and impose conditions with a clear team idea. Argentina took another step towards the Qatar World Cup against Peru. It was 1-0 with a goal and a Messi earthly.
There was again a game of absolute Argentine prominence, but with some differences compared to the exhibition mounted against Uruguay. Until breaking zero to zero, at the end of the first half, it was difficult for him to deepen before a 4-5-1 from Peru designed to resist. From the outset, there were two hurtful overflows with centers from De Paul and Di María that crossed the small area without anyone pushing them. However, afterwards it became difficult for him to pierce that rival defensive scheme.
With several casualties due to injuries and some due to suspension, the weakened Peru tried to set up a fence so that Messi would not escape, to make him feel uncomfortable. And in a way, he succeeded. This time it was not so simple for Leo to drive and discover the best spaces coming from behind. Perhaps the fatigue from the three games in eight days also felt a bit. The healthiest thing was the dynamics and sharpness of De Paul from the middle up and the imposing and usual firmness of Cristian Romero behind.
Di María had sent a first-rate left-footed shot outside, after a cross from De Paul. Only once had drawn Martinez been demanded, standing well to deflect a free kick from Lapadula. Until at a more than opportune moment, at the end of the first half, Lo Celso intercepted in three quarters and opened for Molina, who played cut for De Paul and immediately struck down the right wing. The one from Atlético de Madrid returned the wall with fairness, Molina reached the bottom and sent it to the middle of the area, ideal for Lautaro Martínez to nail a shocking header (with a deflection in Zambrano) and celebrate his goal 17 in 34 matches of celeste and White.
Lautaro Martínez scored a good goal, the only one of the match
Argentina won with a goal without Messi participation. Once in advantage, it was expected that greater spaces would emerge with Peru forced to leave its so speculative role. It was not so. The albiceleste could not provide a show like against Uruguay. It was difficult for him to generate clear chances.
There was a moment that ratified this actuality of aligned planets that Argentina enjoys. Peru had a penalty, in an isolated play in which Emiliano Martínez rushed to one side of the area and took Farfán down. Suddenly, that magnetism that Draw has infected the Monumental. The fans chanted: “The cartoon cooome it, the cartoon cooome it.” They played with those words of the goalkeeper in the definition against Colombia for the Copa América. And his overflowing presence seemed to dwarf the performer, Yotún, whose shot hit the crossbar and went over the top.
Messi had a free kick that the goalkeeper Gallese covered him. And not much else in the second period. Argentina was always the protagonist. He always controlled the situation. He won with absolute justice, but without shining. Anyway, boy is it positive. He stretched undefeated to 25 games. He added 7 points out of 9 on this triple date. Two classics are coming in November, with Uruguay in Montevideo and with Brazil in San Juan. He will play them with the peace of mind of knowing that the team has already found him and that he is just there from Qatar.
DATASHEET
1 – Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina Lucero, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi and Marcos Acuña; Leandro Paredes (m.72, Guido Rodríguez), Rodrigo De Paul; Giovani Lo Celso (m.92, Exequiel Palacios), Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María (m.72, Nicolás González); Lautaro Martínez (m.84, Joaquín Correa).
Coach: Lionel Scaloni
0 – Peru: Pedro Gallese, Jhilmar Lora, Carlos Zambrano, Alexander Callens, Miguel Trauco; Pedro Aquino; Christian Cueva, Christofer Gonzales (m.84, Marcos López), Yoshimar Yotún (m.72, Gabriel Costa) and Raziel García (m.72, Wilder Cartagena); Gianluca Lapadula (d. 60, Jefferson Farfán).
Coach: Ricardo Gareca.
Goal: 1-0, Lautaro Martínez (m. 42)
Referee: The Brazilian Wilton Pereira Sampaio. He admonished Yotún, Raziel García.
Incidents: Match of the twelfth day of the South American Qualifiers of the World Cup in Qatar 2022 played at the ‘Monumental’ Antonio Vespucio Liberti stadium, in Buenos Aires