Messi's Argentina held to draw by Venezuela in South American World Cup qualifying

SAO PAULO (AP) — An 89th-minute goal by substitute Luiz Henrique gave Brazil a 2-1 away win over Chile on Thursday in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.

The win meant under-pressure Brazil coach Dorival Júnior's team will finish the ninth round of the round-robin competition in fourth place in South American qualifying.

Earlier, Lionel Messi's Argentina drew Venezuela 1-1 in a match that was delayed for 30 minutes due to a wet pitch at Monumental Stadium in the Venezuelan city of Maturin.

Argentina, which leads the 10-team competition, has 19 points after nine matches. Colombia, with 16 points, remains in second place after losing 1-0 at Bolivia. Uruguay is third with 15 points and has a chance to add more in a match against Peru on Friday. Brazil has 13 points.

Brazil has dramatic comeback

Chile, one of the worst-performing teams in South American qualifying, opened the scoring seconds after the kickoff at the National Stadium in Santiago. Veteran striker Eduardo Vargas headed past goalkeeper Ederson, with the ball gently touching the back of the net.

Brazil struggled to create clear chances, but managed to equalize in added time with a header by its new striker, Igor Jesus, who came in as a replacement for injured Vinicius Júnior. The visitors kept most of the ball possession in the second half, but still failed to get clear chances.

In the final minutes, Henrique decided to take his chances from the edge of the box. The winning goal made several Chile players throw themselves to the ground in anguish.

Brazil's next match will be against Peru in Brasilia. Chile will travel to Colombia.

“This shirt means a lot. It is a great feeling for us to wear it. We know what is happening, but we wanted to change it," said Henrique. ”Our fans can be sure we will fight always for this team. We are the only five-time World Cup champions, we will play with passion."

Dorival Júnior said that his team will continue to have ups and downs as the coach tries out new players.

“We will have a very strong team two years from now,” Júnior said, in a reference for the next World Cup. “But it is only in the dictionary that success comes before work.”

Messi returns for Argentina

Defender Nicolás Otamendi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 13th minute. He pushed the ball to the empty net after a cross by Messi and a mistake by goalkeeper Rafael Romo.

Salomón Rondón equalized in the 65th minute with a header for the only South American team that has yet to play in a World Cup.

“The pitch did not help us do what we wanted to do," said Messi, who returned to the national team after missing the two previous rounds of South American qualifying due to ligament damage in his right ankle.

Venezuela defender Jon Aramburu said his team wanted a win to show its ambition.

“The rain affected the match, we couldn't play well,” he said. “We drew against a team that everyone knows of its potential. But this team is here to beat them, to compete.”

Bolivia in the clouds to beat Colombia

Colombia, which had been the last unbeaten team in South American qualifying, was shocked at Bolivia in the Municipal Stadium in the city of El Alto, more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. Bolivia moved into fifth place with 12 points after its first win in 21 years against the Colombians.

Miguel Terceros, also known as Miguelito, scored the winning goal for Bolivia in the 58th minute with a powerful shot after dribbling through two defenders.

Bolivia had lost Héctor Cuellar to a straight red card in the 21st minute after a gruesome tackle that forced the substitution of striker Roger Martinez, but the team remained competitive until the end of the match in its high-altitude stadium.

“We are a young team that wants to change history," Terceros said. “Now we will travel to Argentina thinking about winning.”

Bolivia hasn't qualified for a World Cup since the 1994 edition in the United States.

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