Lionel Messi and Argentina staring down the barrel of not qualifying for the World Cup after costly Venezuela draw

Argentina are now staring down the barrel with two qualifying games remaining

Argentina now lie fifth with two qualifying games remaining (AFP)

Despite the drab display against Uruguay last Thursday, a point from the trip to Montevideo’s imposing Estadio Centenario wasn’t the worst result for Argentina. However, back in Buenos Aires on Tuesday against a Venezuela side, rooted to the foot of South American qualification without a chance of reaching Russia, nothing less than a convincing three points were expected of Jorge Sampaoli’s side.

The stage was certainly set for Argentina to get their floundering qualification back on track. By the time proceedings got underway in the Monumental, Chile had lost away to Bolivia, Colombia had drawn with Brazil and Peru had beaten Ecuador, meaning despite La Albiceleste starting the game in sixth, a win could have seen them as high as second.

Sampaoli was sticking with his attacking three-man defence, the exhilarating trio of Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi were getting another outing and Argentina were supposed to take a giant step towards Russia. The reality however, is that Argentina are now no closer to that goal and only have two increasingly difficult looking matches to confirm their place at the World Cup.


 Messi was unable to lift Argentina to the win they sorely needed 
 (AFP)

After watching Uruguay’s stubborn defence stifle any attacking intent on Thursday, Sampaoli had stressed in the build-up the importance of a quick start against Venezuela and how an early goal would force the visitors out of their defensive shell.

The early signs were promising as Javier Mascherano’s return in the defence provided a better quality of passing out from the back, Éver Banega took the creative load off Messi in central midfield and Lautaro Acosta gave a more natural right-sided width.

The result was a dominant opening 45 minutes with the lively Mauro Icardi doing everything right except apply the final touch and the ever-impressive Wilker Fariñez adding to his burgeoning reputation with a string of saves.

Di María, so ineffectual against Uruguay, looked dangerous darting in behind full back Víctor García but even after an apparent pulled hamstring forced him off, the home side still looked the far more likely to score.

Sampaoli’s early goal never came and like a boxer soaking up punishment in the early rounds, there was always the concern that a counter could follow. Five minutes after the break and that sucker punch arrived as a lightening quick break exposed Argentina’s sluggish back three and saw Jhon Murillo stun the Monumental.


 The result piles more pressure on Sampaoli 
 (AFP)

Before panic became too wide-spread, Argentina were level when Rolf Feltscher turned Acuña’s low cross into his own net, under pressure from Icardi, but with 35 minutes remaining it should have provided the springboard for Sampaoli’s side to settle and go on to win. Quite the opposite was in fact true.

Desperate for a second, any of the incisiveness from the first half disappeared as Argentina became increasingly ragged with Messi attempting to generate the slightest of spark from a group of players who suddenly looked like complete strangers.

“It’s difficult to remove this ‘Messi-dependency’ from a team when Leo is there. When you know you have the best player you will always look toward him,” Sampaoli said when addressing the familiar criticism of Argentina leaning too heavily on their captain.

While there is undoubted truth in the statement, the manner with which Argentina look for individual inspiration is beyond desperation and ill-fitting of a country of such attacking talent. As Venezuela swarmed around the world’s best player who else could Argentina look to? Éver Banega didn’t provide the creativity that was supposed to free Messi from those shackles, Paulo Dybala was once more frustratingly quiet and Sampaoli’s substitutions failed to have any impact.

Defending deep and in numbers, opposition sides are already acutely aware of how to suffocate Argentina and it is this reason why La Albiceleste average only one goal per game in qualification -- significantly less than half Brazil’s tally and perhaps most damningly an attack better only than Bolivia.


 Argentina are now staring down the barrel with two qualifying games remaining 
 (AFP)

And so, Jorge Sampaoli has much to ponder ahead of October’s colossal double-header. The fiery coach was full of praise of his side’s first half display but admitted qualification is now complicated.

“We let an important chance slip but this if football and these things happen. When you have eleven chances on goal and don’t score, it’s confusing. Now things are more complicated because we thought we would be in automatic qualifying places after this round of matches,” Sampaoli admitted.

Argentina remain in fifth and are grateful to Chile’s blip that it isn’t worse but can’t afford any further set-backs.

A resurgent Peru, who are now in fourth after dropping only two points from their last four matches, are the next visitors to Argentina before the critical final day encounter in the altitude of Ecuador.

Neither on present form are straightforward. Without significant improvement Argentina can forget about holding on to fifth spot and the subsequent playoff against New Zealand, let alone the World Cup.