CONMEBOL’s qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued tonight as matchday 10 featured critical clashes going into the second half of the fixture list, with Argentina welcoming Bolivia to the Monumental in a bid to sail clear at the top of the South American pile while ending their two-match winless run.
Brazil also lined up on the night in front of home support at the Mané Garrincha against struggling Peru in a bid to find some consistency on the pitch.
Here’s what happened.
Brazil 4-0 Peru
Scorers: Raphinha 38′, 54′, Pereira 71′, Luiz Henrique 74′
Global giants Brazil may not have matched rivals Argentina in the goals scored column on the night, but Seleção were still able to send home supporters happy at full-time thanks to a comfortable win over Peru.
Having come into tonight’s fixture on the back of just two wins in their last five qualifying fixtures, head coach Dorival Júnior was looking to string together back-to-back wins. Brazil would deliver on that necessity.
Barcelona’s Raphinha kicked off the goal glut from the penalty spot in the 38th minute after Brazil struggled to find a breakthrough despite dominating possession, with the former Leeds United fan-favorite completing his brace on the night in identical fashion nine minutes after the half-time interval.
In a match that mirrored Argentina’s drubbing of Bolivia, Brazil’s dominance would come through on two more occasions before it was all said and done at Mané Garrincha.
First, Andreas Pereira would bag his second international goal in the 71st minute, just two minutes after being introduced off the bench. An acrobatic volley from the Fulham star after fellow second-half substitute Luiz Henrique played a ball to the back post after finding space down the right flank gifted Brazil a deserved 3-0 cushion.
Three minutes later it would be Henrique who would turn goalscorer when receiving a pass from Botafogo clubmate Igor Jesus before tucking in on his left foot and slotting past Peru shot-stopper Pedro Gallese.
With three points comfortably in the bank, Brazil would climb level with Uruguay in 3rd and just three points off second-sitting Colombia.
Argentina 6-0 Bolivia
Scorers: Messi 19′, 84′, 86′, MartÃnez 43′, Alvarez 45+3′, Almada 70′
World Cup holders Argentina ran riot in a one-way affair against a helpless Bolivia to re-establish their lead at the top of CONMEBOL qualifying, with Lionel Messi stealing the show once again.
La Albiceleste would find the back of the net for the first time on the night just before the 20-minute mark through none other than the little man himself when he bagged the 850th combined goal of his storied career.
The Argentine legend pounced on a loose ball thanks to a poor ball at the back by Marcelo Suarez bounced off the lurking Lautaro MartÃnez only for it to find the diminutive attacker before he calmly dispatched past Guillermo Viscarra at the near post.
Messi nearly doubled his goal tally on the night in the 35th minute with a trademark free-kick effort, but this time, Viscarra was up to the task with a smart save to keep the deficit at one. It would not last long.
Argentina doubled their lead just two minutes before the halftime interval when Messi was put through on goal by a brilliant ball from Rodrigo De Paul, allowing the Inter Miami man to slot in MartÃnez who tapped home from close range.
In the dying embers of stoppage time, it would be Alvarez who would put the matter to bed. The Atlético Madrid striker’s run was spotted by Messi before playing a lofted ball over the top and into the box from a free-kick for the former Manchester City forward only needing to bend his effort beyond a helpless Viscarra to extend their advantage.
Botafogo’s Thiago Almada made it 4-0 on the night with a well-taken finish from inside the area after he smashed home Nahuel Molina’s low cross across the face of goal in the 70th minute as one-way traffic continued, with Messi completing his hat-trick in the closing minutes of the second half with a quickfire double.
With tonight’s emphatic result, Lionel Scaloni’s troops extend their unbeaten run at home to nine as well as banking their fifth consecutive win against La Verde.
Other scores
Colombia 4-0 Chile
Paraguay 2-1 Venezuela
Uruguay 0-0 Ecuador