Venezuela hold Argentina to hard-fought draw on Lionel Messi's return

Argentina played to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday during Lionel Messi's (37) return to international competition in the South American World Cup qualifiers.

Captain Messi, who has fully recovered from an injury sustained in the Copa America final against Colombia in July, showcased his skills by assisting Otamendi to score the opening goal just 13 minutes into the match. The kick-off was delayed by half an hour due to heavy rainfall, resulting in a challenging playing surface.

Geronimo Rulli, stepping in for Emiliano 'Dibu' Martinez who is serving a two-match suspension for inappropriate conduct, delivered an impressive performance, thwarting several attempts from Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon in the first half.

Nevertheless, the resilient Venezuelan forward managed to equalize in the second half with a remarkable header from a cross by Yeferson Soteldo, temporarily elevating his team to sixth place in the standings with 11 points.

In search of a winning goal, Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni brought on Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martinez five minutes before the end of the match, but the wet pitch exacerbated the difficulties faced by the World Cup champions.

"It was a difficult match. We struggled to string together two passes, as the ball was hindered by the waterlogged pitch. Playing under such conditions is challenging, and the field did not assist us," Messi remarked to TyC Sports following the match.

Defender Rodrigo De Paul added, "We simply require a good pitch and favorable weather for the ball to flow. Is that too much to ask?"

Argentina remains at the top of the standings with 19 points and will face Bolivia on Tuesday, while Venezuela will travel to Paraguay.

SportsLigue