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Argentina shines, Brazil, Uruguay falter in openers
20 Jun
Summary
- Argentina demonstrated championship form, while Colombia emerged as contenders.
- Brazil and Uruguay struggled to find their rhythm in opening matches.
- Paraguay suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against the United States.
The initial round of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers delivered a spectrum of results, with Argentina showcasing their defending champion status and Colombia announcing themselves as genuine contenders. Conversely, Brazil and Uruguay struggled to find their optimal form, while Ecuador was penalized for missed opportunities, and Paraguay was largely dominated.
Paraguay endured a challenging opener, succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against the United States, despite a brief second-half improvement and a consolation goal. Argentina, in contrast, began their campaign with a dominant performance, making Algeria appear ordinary and highlighting Lionel Messi's exceptional form with a record-breaking hat-trick.
Brazil played to an exciting 1-1 draw against Morocco, with Vinícius Júnior scoring to level the match. Ecuador, despite dominating for periods against Ivory Coast, ultimately lost 1-0 due to a late goal, ending their impressive unbeaten run. Uruguay also drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia, a result that did little to quell existing concerns about their team's performance under coach Marcelo Bielsa.
