Players of Colombia form this Friday, in a match for the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup between the selections of Colombia and Peru at the Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla (Colombia).
Photo: EFE – Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda
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Colombia returns to the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, where it achieved a historical feat 32 years ago. This time, urged points and crisis, to face an already classified Argentina, on day 16 of the qualifiers towards the 2026 World Cup.
With three dates ahead for the end of the South American qualifier, the world champions also secured themselves, First position with 34 pointsan unabordable field in front of the escorts Ecuador and Paraguay (24).
The panorama is much more complex for those of Néstor Lorenzowhich are sixth with 21 integers and, for now, occupy the last direct classification place, stalked closely by Venezuela (18).
The anguish a bad streak, with five games without triumphs and just two units inside the bag over 15 possible.
This situation increased the pressure on Lorenzo, which accumulates criticism with a decline marked after the US-2024 Copa América Endlost precisely before the Albiceleste and that was exposed in the bad results at home in front of Ecuador (0-1), Paraguay (2-2) and Peru (0-0).
To the operating problems are low, including the steering wheel Juan Fernando Quintero and the strikers Jhon Córdoba and Rafael Borréboth injured, the same as Jhon Durándisaffected after the draw against Peru, so Lorenzo convened urgently to Rafael Carrascal (América de Cali), rookie in the tricolor team.
“There was a strong self -criticism. We have to improve a lot in the game, again to be the team that we ever went, recover the level that took place. They said that I fought with (Jhon) Durán, that other colleagues separated us, they are barbarities”Lorenzo said, which also denied rumors about other internal problems.
Argentina between tests and returns
Far from the critical situation facing his rival, The albiceleste comes from signing first place with a 1-0 victory over Chilein a match in which DT Lionel Scaloni used several replacements to the numerous absences in the usual eleven.
The exam in Santiago, beyond not having the brightness of other matches, went well to Argentina, which adds several names as potential applicants for the World Cup list, including Thiago Almada – Figure against Chile – the defender Leonardo Balerdi and the end Giuliano Simeoneplus the premiere of youth Franco Mastantuono17 years old and with one foot at Real Madrid.
For this meeting against Colombia, Scaloni must make a forced variant on the left side, since Nicolás Tagliafico reached the limit of reprimandswhile the return to the ownership of the star is expected Lionel Messiwhich entered as a substitute before the red, and others in a position to return are Nicolás Otamendi, Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernández.
In any case, ARGENTINA CAN COLOMBIA CHIEREone of the two teams – the other is Paraguay— with those who lost on the World Cup routein Barranquilla (1-2) last year, in the midst of a present very different from the tricolor.
The meeting will be played in the Monumental, with arbitration of the Paraguayan Juan Gabriel Benítez.
Probable alignments:
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez – Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi and Valentín Barco or Facundo Medina – Rodrigo de Paul, Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernández – Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez and Nicolás González or Thiago Almada. DT: Lionel Scaloni.
Colombia: Kevin Mier – Daniel Muñoz, Dávinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina or Jhon Lucumí and Cristian Borja – Kevin Castaño or Richard Ríos and Jefferson Lerma – Jhon Arias, James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz – Luis Suarez. DT: Néstor Lorenzo.
Argentina vs. Colombia: time and where to see the qualifiers party
Time: 7:00 p.m.
TV: Gol Caracol.
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