Uruguay beat Argentina 2-1 at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires on Saturday, November 14, spoiling the first match of the post-Messi era. Leonardo Balerdi’s own goal and a Maxi Araujo header put the visitors two ahead before Julian Alvarez pulled one back in the 73rd minute.
Argentina arrived off the back of Messi’s farewell, a 3-0 win over Benin in which Nicolas Otamendi also signed off. Geronimo Rulli captained the side, and nobody wore the number 10 shirt.
The hosts had the better of a goalless first half, with 66 per cent of possession and six shots, three of them on target. Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Facundo Medina all forced saves from Cristopher Fiermarin, who also denied Alvarez early when he was clean through.
Uruguay took time to settle. Under Diego Forlan, who won the 2011 Copa America in the same city, they managed only two shots and none on target before the break. Their best moments were a blocked Joaquin Piquerez free kick and a Ronald Araujo header.
The match turned within 96 seconds of the restart. Balerdi was booked for hacking down Darwin Nunez, and the free kick was delivered by Giorgian De Arrascaeta. Lisandro Martinez headed it back across goal, and it struck the back of Balerdi’s head and went in.
A VAR check for a push by Nunez on the defender came to nothing, and the goal stood. The stadium fell quiet, and Argentina were stunned.
Five minutes later it got worse. Rulli saved from Nunez, who had bundled Balerdi aside, but De Arrascaeta’s corner found Maxi Araujo at the near post. His glancing header looped over the stranded keeper and dropped into the far corner for 2-0.
Argentina pushed back. Thiago Almada missed a good near-post chance, and Paz saw a header go just wide. Federico Valverde was booked for dissent soon after coming on, and Gianluca Prestianni replaced Almada on the hour.
Prestianni made the difference. He brought down a cross-field pass from Fernandez with a glorious first touch, burst into the box and squared for Alvarez, who found the far corner in the 73rd minute.
The final stretch was tense. Uruguay survived a Prestianni effort that skewed just wide, and Rulli had to save from Nunez. Alvarez then drove a low cross from the byline that Fiermarin claimed, and Argentina ran out of time and ideas.
Uruguay had not kept a clean sheet in six matches before this, and they were again under pressure late on. Rodrigo Aguirre came on up front, and several bookings, including Rodrigo Bentancur’s and Enzo Fernandez’s, reflected a bad-tempered finish.
For Uruguay, it was a second friendly win of note after beating India 6-1 in Kolkata last time out. For Argentina, it is a first defeat of a new era, with Lionel Scaloni now looking at Costa Rica in Cordoba next Wednesday.