Correa seals Argentina's first win in La Paz since 2005
Bolivia-Argentina: live
It's been 15 years since Argentina claimed a win in the 3,600m altitude of La Paz and Lionel Scaloni can be happy with the way his side regrouped after going behind to a Bolivia side who started strongly.
Veteran striker Martins nodded 'La Verde' ahead after 24 minutes and it was just reward for the home side who looked hungrier as Argentina toiled to get a foothold on the game.
Lady luck was with the 'Albiceleste' however as Lautaro Martinez saw a defensive clearance ricocheting off his shin to find the ball in the back of the Bolivian net on the stroke of half time.
Argentina were very much the dominant force in the second period with Bolivia barely troubling Franco Armani in the away goal and as the clock ticked down, substitute Correa thundered home a pass from Lautaro who looked offside in the build-up to fire home the winner after a lengthy VAR check deemed the Inter striker was onside leading up to the goal.
Next up for Argentina: Peru and Paraguay in November.
Martins seeimingly unhappy with Messi.
Martins carded after the final whistle as a minor fracas breaks out between players and subs. from both sides.
Full time in La Paz and jubaliant scenes on the Argentina bench with a hard fought win in La Paz.
One minute of time added remaining and Argentina seconds away from the first win in La Paz since 2005.
Bolivia in possession now but failing to generate any headway with Argentina resolute in defence.
Torres carded for Bolivia
Arabe floats a ball across but fails to trouble Armani. A placid second half for the River Plate stopper.
Palacios carded
7 minutes of time to be added. Not sure where the Peruvian ref. got seven from ... possible the VAR delay after the second Argentine goal
Into the final minute as Argentina sense a massive three points in one of the most complicated venues to play in the CONMEBOL region.
Dominguez carded
Lautaro off for Medina
As we head towards the 90th minute it's Argentina who are attacking
Bolivian sub as Cardozo exits with Arabe his replacement.
Bolivia playing with added urgency now as they search for an equaliser.
5' left for Argentina to hang on.
Bolivia change: Orozco on for Wayar
The goal stands ! Argentina lead
Maybe the Inter man was just on-side? Very little in it. Match official Mr. Haro still in communication with the VAR team. No final decision given just yet.
The Peruvian ref. needs to look at the bulid-up again as it appeared that Lautaro was offside.
Gooooooooool Correa strikes for Scaloni's side but was Lautaro offside ?
Into the final 15' we go. All square in La Paz. Argentina would probably take this result (and 1 point) given the complexity of playing in the Bolivian capital.
What a pass from Messi as he finds Lautaro who forces a fantastic save from Lampe in the Bolivian goal. What vision from the Argentine captain to thread the ball through to the Inter striker.
Armani has been quiet in the second half with 'La Verde' creating little of goal scoring chances to trouble the Argentine stopper. A goal for the away side seems closer as opposed to a Bolivian strike.
Double change for Argentina: (on/off) De Paul/Dominguez & Paredes/Rodriguez
Lautaro into the box after a sublime ball from Palacios. Did the ball bobble on the surface as the Inter striker blazes over.
Two changes for Bolivia (on/off) Castro/Cespedes & Miranda/Chumacero
Argentina now enjoying a spell of domination as they win yet another corner which Messi takes, the ball falls to Otamendi but the City player is unable to control the ball and the move breaks down.
Very dangerous free-kick for Argentina on the edge of the Bolivian box. Messi territory ! The captain places the ball and this is ideal for his left foot.... The No. 10 strikes and goes low but drives the ball into the Bolivia wall.
Carrasco cared for Bolivia.
A discreet evening for the Sevilla player after a bright display last weekend in Buenos Aires in the game vs. Ecuador.
Change for Argentina as Correa is poised to make an entrance...Ocampos makes way.
Argentina starting to look a little tired now with Bolivia very much the side with the spring in their step.
Cardozo skips by Otamendi and has a pot shot from the edge of the area but has to watch his effort drift high & wide.
Fans watch from a nearby building, the 2022 FIFA World Cup South American qualifier football match between Bolivia and Argentina at the Hernando Siles Stadium in La Paz on October 13, 2020, amid the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic
Tagliafico has an effort from long range but the left footed drive is well wide of the Bolivian goal.
Free-kick for Bolivia in a dangerous area. Possibly too far out for a striker despite the four man Argentine wall. Cardozo strikes but the ball is straight at Armani.
Can Argentina continue with the form that they ended the first half where they had Bolivia pinned back and were very much in control.
Chumacero set to push higher with the Bolivian change. The Puebla player has been excellent for 'La Verde' this evening.
Bustamente on for Saucedo (Bolivia)
Off we go... Bolivia starting the action
What can Lionel Scaloni's men serve up in the second period? The first half an hour of action for the Albiceleste was far from what we would expect from an array of talent such is the Argentine side. Ocampos and Palacios the better players for Argentina.
The stats for the first 45' in La Paz:
- 0
- 15
- 30
- 45
- 60
- 75
- 90
- 60%39%
- 39%60%
- 61%38%
Martinez celebrates his 44th minute equaliser
All square at the break and Argentina managing to work their way back into the contest with a fortunate equaliser from Lautaro after Bolivia went ahead throiugh Martins.
One minute of time to be added.
The luckiest goal the Inter striker will ever score but as they say .... they all count.
Gooooooooool ..... Martinez draws Argentina level with a fortunate rebound
We'll possibly have one minute of added time with little or no interruption during this first 45 minutes.
Quality from Messi as he glides past three green shirts and the move ends with a corner for the Albiceleste. Paredes finds Tagliafico who nods high and over the bar.
5' of the half remain and Messi finds Paredes who strikes the post with a fierce right footed effort. Better now from the men in sky & white.
5' of the half remain and Messi finds Paredes who strikes the post with a fierce right footed effort. Better now from the men in sky & white.
Card for Bolivia's Valverde for a late challenge on Martinez.
Tagliafico delivers a cross which epitomises Argentinas evening. Poor, missguided and under hit.
Argentina enjoying more possession now, pressing the menin green back inside their own half.
Paredes takes but the strike is over struck and the move breaks down.
Argentina win a corner with ten minutes of the half remaining.
A Messi free-kick is not cleared by Bolivia and the ball bobble across the goal mouth as the ref. calls a halt to the action for an infringement.
Lautaro looks for Ocampos but just fails to find the Sevilla man as Argentina up the tempo. Scaloni looking anxious on the bench.
The 'Man in black' ...Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni in La Paz this evening
Almost at the half hour mark and a quiet evening to date for Lampe in the Bolivia goal with zero threat from the 'Albiceleste'
Fine goal from Bolivia but questions surrounding the Argentine defending.
Chumacero finds the 33-year-old and Martins nods past the outstretched Armani. The goal was coming !
Martins once again goes close for 'La Verde' as his diving header goes wide of Armani's post. The veteran striker full of menace for the Argentine side tonight.
Bolivia enjoying the bulk of the early possession as Paredes has a long range drive which is well wide of the Bolivian goal.
- 0
- 15
- 30
- 45
- 60
- 75
- 90
- 60%39%
- 39%60%
- 61%38%
Chumacero tries his luck with a right footed effort from outside the box, the ball drifts over the bar with Armani untroubled by the effort. 'Atento, atento' screams Scaloni to his men pleading for concentration.
The sun breaks through the cloud in La Paz and after 18' it's the home side who look the more comfortable. Messi yet to get a major look in on the action so far.
Tagliafico carded for a dangerous two footed challenge...very rash from the Ajax player
Martinez Quarta forced to head over as Martins lobs a teasing ball into the Argentina box. Bolivia pressing now with Argentina looking anxious defensively.
Both sides represent leagues that have yet to start domestically due to the pandemic. Venezuela is the other CONMEBOL menner where the local league competition has yet to commence.
Martins again for Bolivia with the veteran striker firiung high and wide.
Good work from Ocampos as the Sevilla player skips to the by-line but fails to find a team mates with the cross. Better now from Scaloni's men.
Argentina yet to find any rhythm with the game being interrupted with a constranbt series of fouls.
A topsy-turvy start with neither side dominating the game. Bolivia go close as Martins heads over as Armani misjudges a cross.
The pitch at the Hernando Siles looking somewhat irregular with the ball bobbling along the surface rather than gliding smoothly.
Off we go. Argentina start the action in La Paz.
We'll have a minute of silence before kick-off.
A mild evening in the Bolivian capital with a temperature currently of 14C/58F
Tonight's match official is Diego Haro from Peru.
Footballers are not very good singers !!!
The teams are on the pitch as the national anthems ring out....
...as Bolivia languish in 10th place
Argentina currently sit in fourth place after one game
What exactly is it like to play football at altitude?
An article from The Conversation about the health implications at playing at such a level.
Indeed there was a period when FIFA banned games being staged at anything above 2,500 m above sea level.
Indeed, the last time the Bolivian national team qualified for a World Cup was back in 1994 ...who can forget the fine flowing locks of a certain Marco Echeverry at the US 94 competition...
There were contrasting fortunes for both of these nations in match-day 1 of the CONMEBOL WC 2022 qualifying games last week with Argentina winning at home (1-0) vs. Ecuador and Bolivia on the wrong end of a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Brazil.
Marcelo Martins starts for 'La Verde' tonight and the 33-year-old was one of the stars of the Bolivia side who destroyed Argentina in 2009. The veteran striker now plays his club football with Brazilian outfit Cruzeiro.
Argentina XI: Armani; Montiel, Martínez Quarta, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Ocampos, Palacios, Paredes, De Paul; Messi, Lautaro Martínez
Messi, Mascherano, Tevez, Zanetti & Di Maria all featured for the Argentine side that fateful day.
Messi, Mascherano, Tevez, Zanetti & Di Maria all featured for the Argentine side that fateful day.
This was the front cover of Argentine sports daily OLE the following morning with Maradona admitting: "I got it wrong and I'll pay the price"
Another tweet relating to the 6-1 win in 2009 and how the game is enshrined in Bolivian footballing culture
The most painful and memorable of these wins for 'La Verde' came back in 2009 when the Argentina side, then coached by Diego Maradona were humbled 6-1.
Argentina have faced Bolivia on 38 occasions with 26 wins for the Albiceleste, 5 draws and seven defeats.
Tonight's game in Bolivia is one of the five CONMEBOL fixtures that will be played on Tuesday. Brazil face a tricky test away to Peru and the Colombia v Chile is an attractive fixture on paper.
The game at the Estadio Hernando Siles will be played behind closed doors as a preventative measure with the Covid-19 pandemic very much a concern for all South American nations.
The game in the Bolivian capital kicks off at 1600 local time which is 2200 CEST.
Hello and a very warm welcome to the second match-day in the CONMEBOL 2022 World Cup qualifying round as Argentina face Bolivia in La Paz.