Messi’s two goals gave Argentina victory over Peru. Round 4 match review (video)

Author: Barkha Roy

Peru – Argentina – 0:2

Lionel Messi showed his return to top form by scoring both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Peru in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

After a four-week absence due to a muscle problem, Messi returned to the starting line-up. His last game as a starter was on September 20 with Inter Miami against Toronto FC.

The 36-year-old maestro opened the scoring for the world champions in the 32nd minute with a magnificent shot, taking advantage of an assist from Nicolas Gonzalez. He scored the second goal to make it 2-0 just ten minutes later with a powerful finish after a pass from Enzo Fernandez.

Messi was on the verge of scoring a hat-trick in the second half, but a VAR review ruled his goal out for offside. Even so, his two goals took his tally in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying to 31, overtaking Uruguay’s Luis Suárez and making him the top scorer in this category.

In his post-match reflection, Messi praised his team, declaring:“This team is incredible; every time they play, they’re very close to being the best in history“. He also emphasized the growth of the squad, their confidence after winning the World Cup and their unity.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni highlighted the synergy between Messi and the team, expressing his hope that Messi will continue to play as much as possible. Messi has indicated his intention to retire before the 2026 World Cup.

Venezuela – Chile – 3:0

After a draw with Brazil, the Venezuelans felt confident and beat the Chilean team. The visitors could have taken the lead 10 minutes into the first half when Loyola hit the post. At the end of the first half, Soteldo put the hosts ahead with a precise shot into the bottom corner. At the end of the first half, Nunez received his second yellow card, leaving Chile at a disadvantage. Soon after, Soteldo cut in from the left flank, passing the goal to Rondon. Seven minutes later, Soteldo again found space on the flank, finding Machis with a pass – 3-0.

Paraguay – Bolivia – 1:0

Paraguay picked up their first win of the current round of qualifiers in Asuncion. The referee disallowed goals from Almiron (offside) and Avalos (handball), but Sanabria’s 69th-minute winner gave Bolivia a victory over bottom-placed Bolivia, with zero points.

Ecuador-Colombia – 0:0

Although the game in Quito ended in a goalless draw, there were plenty of chances to open the scoring. In the 11th minute, Caicedo hit the crossbar with a free kick, then Kevin Rodriguez hit the post. The visitors, meanwhile, missed three chances. The referee disallowed the goals from Cuesta and Luis Diaz for offside. Diaz also failed to convert the penalty, which was saved by the goalkeeper.

After four games, Argentina are top of the CONMEBOL standings with four wins out of a possible four. Uruguay beat Brazil (2:0), scored seven points and share 2-4 place with Brazil and Venezuela. Colombia are fifth with six points. Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile share 6th to 8th place with four points each. Next are Peru (2 points) and Bolivia (0 points).