Argentina’s 2026 World Cup Qualifier Defeat: Scaloni Reflects on Controversial Match

In a heated 2026 World Cup qualifier match in Barranquilla, Colombia emerged victorious against Argentina with a 2-1 scoreline. This match stood out among the other five World Cup qualifiers for its intensity and controversy.

• Venue and Result: The match took place in Barranquilla, with Colombia winning 2-1.
• Argentina’s Motivation: The team was eager to avenge their previous loss to Colombia in the Copa America final.
• Challenging Conditions: Argentina struggled to perform in the difficult playing environment.

Controversial Penalty Decision

A pivotal moment in the match came with a contentious penalty decision:

• In the second half, Nicolas Otamendi fell after a challenge with Daniel Munoz in Argentina’s penalty area.
• Chilean referee Piero Maza awarded a penalty after reviewing VAR footage.
• The decision sparked arguments between players from both teams.
• James Rodriguez successfully converted the penalty.

Scaloni’s Post-Match Comments

Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, shared his thoughts on various aspects of the game:

On the Team’s Performance

“After the penalty, we were not really on the field. That’s what I’m worried about.”

Regarding the Controversial Penalty

“The referee should have seen the first picture. In the picture, it looks like he (Otamendi) touched him (Munoz) not. He should have seen the video from the beginning.”

On Argentina’s Recent Form

• The team was unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches before this loss.
• Scaloni refrained from criticizing his team, instead crediting Colombia’s performance.

Acknowledging the Opponents

“Colombia have great players, a reliable system. It is very difficult to play against them here. But we had a chance to win, but we didn’t win.”

Looking Forward

Scaloni identified areas for improvement:

• Maintaining effectiveness in the opponent’s penalty area
• Addressing issues with ball possession and control

The coach emphasized the need to fix these issues and improve for future matches.