Argentina suffered a defeat in their first match following the retirement of Lionel Messi. Lionel Scaloni’s side lost 1–2 to Uruguay in a friendly match played on home soil. This also marked a defeat for Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach in his first match since signing a new contract that extends through the next World Cup.
30 Match Unbeaten streak ends
The defeat ends Argentina’s 30-match unbeaten streak in friendly matches—a run that had remained unbroken since March 22, 2019. A key factor in Argentina’s loss was an own goal by Leonardo Balerdi. At one point, Argentina found themselves trailing 0–2, with Balerdi’s own goal early in the second half putting them behind. Scaloni’s team was unable to recover from that setback. In the absence of Messi, a lack of cohesion in Argentina’s attack was clearly evident. Furthermore, the team struggled due to the absence of Lautaro Martínez, while Paz, who stepped in for Messi, failed to make an impact.
Argentina did begin the match on home soil against Diego Forlan’s side with an aggressive approach. Early on, the Uruguayan goalkeeper denied a shot from Paz, and in the 10th minute, he thwarted Julian Alvarez as well. In the 15th minute, Enzo Fernandez sent a promising opportunity sailing over the crossbar. Following this, the Uruguayan players took control of the match, and Argentina never managed to regain their characteristic form for the remainder of the game. The first half ended goalless.
Early in the second half, Balerdi committed a costly error. A clearance by Lisandro Martínez from a Uruguayan free-kick struck Balerdi and deflected into the net. This own goal in the 48th minute left Argentina trailing. Before Argentina could recover from this blow, Uruguay scored a second goal. In the 53rd minute, Araujo headed home from a corner to extend his team’s lead to 2-0. Scaloni’s side found themselves under pressure on home soil, and a Messi-less Argentina had to contend with that pressure for the remainder of the match.
Although Alvarez managed to narrow the deficit with a goal in the 73rd minute, it proved to be in vain. A surging run from midfield by Prestianni tore through the Uruguayan defense, and Alvarez made no mistake when the ball reached him inside the box. Uruguay could have even extended their lead further; in the 81st minute, Argentina’s captain for the match—goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli—prevented what seemed like a certain goal. Had Darwin Nunez managed to score, Forlan’s side could have secured a 3-1 victory.