By Jeremiah Ola
Colombia secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Argentina in a highly anticipated World Cup qualifying match, avenging their heart-wrenching defeat in the Copa America final just two months prior. The win was all the more impressive given Argentina’s status as reigning world champions, albeit without the injured Lionel Messi.
James Rodriguez was the hero for Colombia, calmly converting a penalty kick in the 60th minute to seal the win. The penalty was awarded after a lengthy VAR review, which deemed Nicolas Otamendi’s challenge on Daniel Munoz to be a foul. Rodriguez’s composure from the spot was a stark contrast to his earlier mistake, which had allowed Argentina to equalize.
Colombia had taken the lead in the 25th minute through Yerson Mosquera’s powerful header, sending the home crowd into raptures. However, Argentina drew level just three minutes into the second half, with Nicolas Gonzalez capitalizing on Rodriguez’s misplaced pass to score.
The win marks a significant turning point in Colombia’s qualifying campaign, while Argentina will be left ruieng the absence of their talismanic captain, Lionel Messi.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s struggles continued with a 1-0 loss to Paraguay, courtesy of Diego Gomez’s stunning long-range strike. The defeat leaves Brazil in fifth place, level on points with Venezuela and facing an uphill battle to secure qualification.
