Argentina Defeats Paraguay 1-0 in World Cup Qualifier

Lionel Messi Scores Game-Winning Goal

Argentina moved closer to securing a place in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in a South American qualifying match on Thursday.

Buenos Aires, Argentina - Lionel Messi scored the game's only goal in the 59th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Paraguay to secure the crucial victory.

The victory extended Argentina's unbeaten streak to 29 matches and moved them to second place in the CONMEBOL standings, one point behind leaders Brazil. Paraguay, meanwhile, remained in seventh place, six points outside the automatic qualification zone.

Argentina dominated possession throughout the match but struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half. Paraguay defended stoutly and kept Messi and his teammates at bay.

However, the home team eventually broke the deadlock in the second half when Messi pounced on a loose ball following a mistake by Paraguay goalkeeper Antony Silva.

With the win, Argentina moved one step closer to securing their place in the World Cup. They will face Uruguay in their next qualifying match on Tuesday.