There is one spectacle that revolves around South America: it is that of soccer Argentina national team world champion, now accepted in Lima, Peruwhere won 2-0 to the local team on his fourth date Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Peru’s team, led by veteran Paolo Guerrero, put up a fight in the first third of the match and even caught the eye with some shots from the centre-forward, but it all came to an end when Lionel Messi made it 1-0 for Argentina in the 32nd minute. From there Argentina recognized themselves as masters of the match 10 minutes later raised the score through Messi and in the second half there was not much competition.
Now Albiceleste rules in South America more than everas the leader with five points ahead of runners-up Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela, while For Peru the situation marks an initial crisis: They got just one point in their first four games and are penultimate.
More | South America 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Matches, results, standings, days, times and full calendar
How did Argentina vs. Peru? Final score
| Equipment | 1 T | 2T | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Argentina | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Summary and goals of Argentina vs. Peru:
Goals
- ARG – L. Messi – Min. 32 PT.
- ARG – L. Messi – Min. 42 PT.
More | Messi’s record as Argentina’s all-time top scorer
Argentina vs. Peru, long live
Match finished: Argentina beat Peru 2-0.
Min. 45+2 ST – Messi hugs a small fan who entered the pitch to greet him.
Min. 45F – Added four minutes.
Min. 39 ST – Renato Tapia’s header is out.
Min. 32 ST – Argentina’s final three changes: Lautaro Martínez, Giovani Lo Celso and Marcos Acuña replaced Julián Álvarez, Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolás Tagliafico.
Min. 29 ST – Luis Advíncula scolded in Peru.
Min. 27 ST – The match already looks like a friendly, with a surrendered Peru and an Argentina committed to controlling the ball.
Min. 22 ST – Messi’s shot from the half-moon of the area that could have been a hat-trick is too close.
Min. 21 ST – Last change in Peru: Sergio Peña replaced Franco Zanelatto.
Min. 20 ST – Gallese manages to clear Messi’s shot, which entered the center of the area.
Min. 19 ST – Argentina have fun moving the ball from side to side in Peru’s pitch, while the local team is reduced to being a partner limited to their own area.
Min. 13 ST – Messi scored his third goal, in front of goal after a poor clearance from Miguel Trauco, but the goal was disallowed via VAR as the referee interpreted the clearance as not intended there.
Min. 10 ST – Shot by Franco Zanelato.
Min. 7 ST – Peru starts looking with a very direct game, looking to play aerial duels with Argentina’s defenders, but for now they are missing all attempts.
Min. 3 ST – Argentina second change: Germán Pezzella replaces Cristian Romero.
The second half begins: Peru made four changes: Joao Grimaldo, Miguel Trauco, Bryan Reyna and Renato Tapia replaced Paolo Guerrero, Andy Polo, Nelson Loyola and Anderson Santamaría.
First half over: Argentina beat Peru 2-0.
Minute 45+1 PT – Galleze prevents a counterattack from Julián Alvarez, who had received the ball in Peru’s area.
Min. 45 PT – Added one minute.
Min. 44 PT – Yoshimar Yotún scolded in Peru.
Min. 42 PT – Goal from Argentina! Messi converts again for the visitors, again with his left foot in the area, now following Enzo Fernandez’s pass from the left.
AGAIN
ALWAYS HIM
GOAL BY MESI🦟🦟
🦟🦟
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜🐐⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜️
🦟🦟
🦟🦟 #Argentina | #Exceptions pic.twitter.com/k9QLzlstJJ— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐬 Argentina 🇦🇷 (@sportingnewsar) October 18, 2023
Min. 38 PT – After the goal, Argentina feel they have the game and are definitely superior to Peru now, despite the home side’s good start.
Min. 34 PT – Argentina’s first change: Lucas Martinez Cuarta replaces the injured Gonzalo Montiel.
Min 32 PT – Goal from Argentina! Lionel Messi scores 1-0 for the world champions. It was a real goal from the captain, with a fierce first-time shot into the corner to finish off the counter-attack following Nicolás González’s cross.
GREAT GOAL FROM MESSI!!! 🐐
BIG GOAL FROM ARGENTINA!!! 🇦🇷
THE UNSTOPPABLE World Champion 🚀#ElDato It is Leo’s first goal against Peru in the Qualifiers in his entire career pic.twitter.com/8eclGWFi5t
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐬 Argentina 🇦🇷 (@sportingnewsar) October 18, 2023
Min. 28 PT – Paolo Guerrero attempted a volley shot from 30 yards that went wide of the Argentina goal.
Min. 23 PT – Argentina play in Peru’s box again, but the ball doesn’t reach Messi quite cleanly to decide the game.
Min. 17 PT – Argentina make several moves down the right and it ends with Julián Álvarez kicking into the Peru area but the ball is blocked by a local defender.
Min. 15 PT – Good save by Dibu Martinez on Guerrero’s shot, but all ruled out for offside. On the flanks, Peru is doing damage to Argentina.
Min. 12 PT – Peru claim a penalty for a handball by Taliafico, but the referee rules that it was not intentional and there was no foul.
Min. 10 PT – Gallese, who has yet to concede a goal from Messi in the Qualifiers, contains the Argentine’s shot from a free-kick.
Min. 9 PT – Serious foul by Loyola on Messi near the box, which Jesus Valenzuela decides not to caution even though it looked like a clear yellow. Argentina are starting to dominate the match.
Min. 3 PT – Messi’s first shot: The Argentine number 10 had a chance from outside the area with his left foot and went narrowly wide.
The match has begun!
The teams took to the field and everything is ready to start the game.
Welcome to the National Stadium of Lima! The fourth day of the South American Qualifiers will conclude with the match between Peru, a team in need of addition, and Argentina, the last world champions.
Venezuela’s win over Chile and Paraguay’s partial victory over Bolivia complicate matters for Peru, who are currently second to last in South America. Argentina, meanwhile, maintain their top spot as Brazil draw with Uruguay.
The last match between Argentina and Peru ended in a 1-0 home win for Albiceleste in October 2021. Lautaro Martinez scored the goal in that win.
The last time Peru beat Argentina was in mid-1997: a 2-1 Peruvian victory in Sucre, Bolivia, in the quarter-finals of the 1997 Copa America.
More | How many games does Lionel Messi have for Argentina National Team?
Formation of Argentina
Emiliano Martínez? Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis McAllister; Nicolás González; Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez.
Formation of Peru
Pedro Gallese, Luis Advíncula, Anderson Santamaría, Luis Abram, Nilson Loyola, Wilder Cartagena, Yoshimar Yotún, Franco Zanelatto, Andy Polo, André Carrillo and Paolo Guerrero.
Where and how to watch Argentina vs. Peru today? TV channels and online streaming for the Qualifier match
- TV channels:
- Argentina: Public Television, TyC Sports
- Peru: ATV, América Televisión, Movistar Deportes
- USA: –
- Mexico: –
- Online Streaming:
- Argentina: DGo / Flow / Telecentro Play / TyC Play
- Peru: Movistar TV
- USA: fanatical
- Mexico: –
