The Argentine striker Lautaro Martínez, who scored the only goal for his team in the 2-1 loss to Paraguay in Asunción during the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, criticized the team's performance by stating that "we played a bad game and we need to correct many things." Martínez, a player for Inter Milan, opened the scoring in the 11th minute of the first half with an excellent assist from midfielder Enzo Fernández. However, Paraguay managed to equalize the match in the 19th minute and then turned the result around in the second half.
In his statements to TyC Sports, Lautaro Martínez acknowledged the need to correct the mistakes made during the match, although he emphasized that despite the lapses, his team maintained control of the ball. The player also mentioned that historically, Asunción has been a difficult venue for the Argentine national team and he is already thinking about the upcoming match against Peru at La Bombonera. Martínez expressed: "We came to a difficult field that has always cost the National Team. Overall, we played a good game, we had good control of the ball. We need to think about what comes next."
Despite the loss to Paraguay, the Argentine National Team remains the leader of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with 22 points. The next challenge for the "Albiceleste" will be on Tuesday, November 19, against Peru at Boca's stadium, in a crucial match to stay at the top of the standings.
