Peru 0-0 Argentina: World Cup finalists might kiss the World Cup goodbye

3 hours ago   /  borismok

2014 World Cup finalists Argentina might kiss the 2018 World Cup goodbye if they do not win in the final round.

Last month’s disappointing draw at home to Venezuela means Argentina have failed to win any of their last three competitive games, leaving them with just 24 points after 16 games.

At this stage four years ago they had amassed 32 - enough to put them in second spot this time around - but a thoroughly underwhelming qualifying campaign has left them in danger of having to settle for a play-off place at best.

Even that isn’t a certainty, and they must now face a Peru side full of confidence and flying high in search of their first appearance at a World Cup since 1982.

Peru haven’t beaten Argentina in any of the last 11 meetings between the two sides, with the last time they enjoyed victory coming in the quarter-finals of the Copa America back in June 1997.

MATCH ACTIONS:

13' Big chance for Messi! Benedetto darts into the left-hand side of the Peru box and looks set to shoot, but Miguel Araujo is there to blast the ball behind for a corner. 

It's sent in low by Angel Di Maria and finds Messi, who immediately unleashes a thumping strike that somehow deflects just wide of the goal.

34' Farfan goes close to opening the scoring! A great low cross from Miguel Trauco flies towards the near post and manages to pick out Farfan... 

Farfan does well to get a toe on the ball but can only poke it narrowly wide of the near post. That's much better from Peru.

39' Excellent strike by Messi! The captain cuts onto his left foot 25 yards away from goal and manages to get a shot away after beating three Peru players.

The effort looks set to find the top left-hand corner of the net, but a slight deflection sends the strike just wide of the goal.

41' That wasn't quite so good from Messi... He manages to fire his long-range effort out for a throw-in over on the left flank. He got that horribly wrong.

45+1' What a chance for Benedetto! A glorious cross from Messi loops right onto the head of Benedetto in front of goal...

But the Boca Juniors striker somehow ends up sending his close-range header a few yards over the top of the crossbar.

46' Messi hits the post! Benedetto makes a great run into the right-hand side of the Peru penalty area before forcing Gallese into making a good save.

The ball then rolls out to Messi, who looks set to fire Argentina into the lead but ends up hitting the woodwork with his deflected first-time shot.

57' What a chance for Gomez to make it 1-0! The Atalanta man skips into the visitors' box and latches onto a lovely pass from Messi before shooting, but, somehow, Gallese pulls off a great save to deny the forward the game's opening goal.

61' What a miss by Rigoni! Once again, lovely play by Messi sees him skip into the Peru box before squaring a pass across the face of goal. 

It picks out Rigoni in a pocket of space in front of goal, but, somehow, he ends up poking his first-time shot wide of the far post.

63' This doesn't look good for Gago. 

The substitute has only been on the pitch for a few minutes, but he's already gone down with what looks like a nasty injury.

Gago still isn't moving at all well, and he's been forced off to be replaced by Enzo Perez.

Peru XI (4-3-3): Gallese; Corzo, Araujo, Rodriguez, Trauco; Pena(53' Cartagena), Tapia, Yotun; Farfan(70' Polo), Guerrero, Flores.

Subs: Santamaria, Gomez, Cartagena, Ruidiaz, Caceda, Polo, Abram, Advincula, Reyna, Carvallo, Loyola, Aquino.

Argentina XI (4-2-3-1): Romero; Mercado, Otamendi, Mascherano, Acuna; Biglia, Banega(61' Gago/ 67' Perez); Di Maria(46' Rigoni), Messi, Gomez; Benedetto.

Subs: Fazio, Pezzella, Gago, Perez, Icardi, Guzman, Casco, Rigoni, Salvio, Paredes, Dybala, Marchesin.

Source - All football