No Lionel Messi, no problem for Argentina in the rugged altitude of La Paz.
With the superstar rested for the match, not amongst the 18-man squad, the defending World Cup champions eased to a 2-0 victory over Bolivia on the road, in one of the most unique and difficult venues across CONMEBOL.
Enzo Fernandez was spectacular across the first half, and grabbed the opening goal in the process, while Nicolas Tagliafico doubled the lead just before the break.
That was all Argentina needed, but they were given a further boost as Ricardo Fernandez produced an ugly challenge on Cristian Romero to earn a sending off and leave Bolivia a man down for the entirety of the second half.
After the break, with a two-goal lead and a man advantage, Argentina completely snuffed the life out of the match in the second half, resting in possession and leaving both sides content to keep the match right where it was. Bolivia were poor throughout, as the fans rained down boos upon their nation’s side as they put simple passes out of play under no pressure.
Eventually, Nico Gonzalez would put the game away with Argentina’s third, and the visitors flew home with all three points. With Messi sitting out, Alejandro Garnacho found a way onto the pitch in the final minutes, which notably cap-tied him to the Albiceleste, still holding eligibility for Spain until his appearance in La Paz. (12 Sep 2023)
Daniel's Argentina 