Montevideo: Colombia secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over reigning world champions Argentina in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, avenging their Copa America final defeat. The match, held at Barranquilla’s Metropolitano Stadium on Tuesday, saw Colombia captain James Rodriguez slot home a decisive penalty in the 60th minute.
Rodriguez’s calm finish from the spot followed a controversial VAR review after Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi fouled Daniel Munoz. The win catapulted Colombia to second place in the South American standings with 16 points from eight matches, trailing Argentina by two points.
Match Highlights:
Early Dominance by Colombia: The home side dominated the first half, taking the lead in the 25th minute when Yerson Mosquera headed in a precise cross from Rodriguez. Colombia, with the midfield brilliance of Rodriguez and the pace of Luis Diaz, outplayed a sluggish Argentina in the opening stages.
Argentina’s Equalizer: Three minutes into the second half, a mistake from Rodriguez allowed Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez to capitalize, racing through the defense to score the equalizer past Colombia’s Camilo Vargas.
Controversial Penalty: Colombia restored their lead in the 60th minute after a VAR-reviewed penalty decision against Otamendi. Rodriguez confidently sent Argentina’s keeper Emiliano Martinez the wrong way to seal the win.
Despite a strong fightback from Argentina, they remain on track for World Cup qualification with the expanded 48-team format allowing six direct qualifiers from South America.
Other Qualifier Results:
Chile’s Struggles Continue: Chile’s World Cup hopes took another hit as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Bolivia at home. With goals from Carmelo Algaranaz and Miguel Terceros, Bolivia moved to seventh place, while Chile languishes in ninth.
Ecuador’s Vital Win: Ecuador boosted their qualification chances with a 1-0 victory over Peru, thanks to a goal from veteran striker Enner Valencia. They now sit in fourth place with 11 points from eight games.
Later on Tuesday, Brazil will face Paraguay in Asuncion, and Venezuela will host Uruguay.
