The Argentine national team suffered a 2-1 defeat against Paraguay as visitors in an exciting match marked by the performance of Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco, which incited the anger of Lionel Messi. The Argentine captain appeared exasperated with the referee for sparing the local defender after a harsh foul. Messi confronted Daronco at halftime, expressing his frustration and directly questioning him.
The discontent of the Argentine delegation intensified when, at the start of the second half, a free kick from the left reached the head of Omar Alderete, who scored the decisive goal for Paraguay. Daronco, being lenient with the player who committed the previous foul, played a decisive role in the outcome of the match.
In the post-match press conference, coach Lionel Scaloni avoided making direct comments about the refereeing, although he made his dissatisfaction with what happened clear. He stated that "we all saw what happened," implying that there were questionable decisions made by the referee.
During the game, Messi suffered several hard fouls, being a victim of rival aggression. In particular, Omar Alderete, the Paraguayan defender, committed a foul on him that sparked controversy. Alderete halted a Messi advance with a rough tackle, provoking the angry reaction of the Argentine star and creating a tense atmosphere in the match.
Despite the refereeing difficulties, the match was marked by the constant struggle of both teams on the field. Messi attempted to lead Argentina to a comeback, but Paraguay's effectiveness and the controversial decisions of the referee played against them, resulting in a bitter defeat for the Albiceleste in this round of the South American Qualifiers.
