50' Cueva leaves the free-kick for Trauco, whose left-footed delivery somewhat stumps the goalkeeper, leaving him rooted to the spot momentarily before his side are able to scramble it away from danger.
48' Lucas Martinez commits a foul on Cueva just outside his penalty area on the left, giving Peru a chance to swing in a free-kick.
46' Argentina get the match restarted from the kick-off!
The hosts will need to attack right from kick-off and throw caution to the wind with Seattle Sounders’ Ruidiaz seems the most likely entrant for Peru after the restart, as Lapadula was unable to link up with his team-mates in the first half. Polo and Advincula will also be options down the flanks as Tagliafico and Montiel have yet to be tested. For Argentina, they’ll see no need to leave gaps as they look to secure an away win which would put them second in qualifying.
Despite not being at their best, Argentina find themselves comfortably ahead by a score of 2-0, thanks to Gonzalez’s opener after 17 minutes, and Lautaro Martinez’s finish into an open goal 11 minutes later. The hosts struggled mightily to settle onto the ball, turning it over carelessly on numerous occasions before succumbing to counter-attacks. Gonzalez and Lo Celso looked lively again in combination, as did the addition of Tagliafico on the left, who caused Corzo no end of trouble. It will take something spectacular from Peru to overturn the deficit in the second half, as they were unable to trouble the Albiceleste defence at all in the opening 45.
45' + 5' HALF-TIME: PERU 0-2 ARGENTINA.
45' + 3' Argentina have not scored twice in the first half of a match since a 6-1 thrashing of Ecuador in October 2019.
45' + 1' The fourth official indicates four minutes will be added to the end of the half for stoppages.
44' Yotun’s shallow clearance fails to beat the first man as Lautaro Martinez nods it away.
42' Lapadula wins an aerial ball on the edge of the 18 and knocks it down for Carrillo, whose volleyed effort is deflected out for a rare corner.
40' Yotun turns it over in midfield allowing Argentina to attack, but Gonzalez’s inability to find De Paul on the edge of the penalty area potentially saves Peru from conceding another.
38' Gonzalez cuts the ball back into the penalty area from the left flank for Messi, whose first-time strike with his left boot misses the top corner narrowly - going out for a goal-kick.
36' Argentina are taking their time, passing it around in midfield. They’re much the superior side and are looking to see out the final 10 minutes before half-time.
31' Lautaro Martinez goes free down the left flank, taking advantage of the disorganised Peru defence, but the referee pulls play back to award Argentina a free-kick deep in their own half instead for an earlier foul on Gonzalez. The Albiceleste won’t be happy about that decision, as they’ve lost a chance to counter-attack.
25' The corner is met at the near post by a Peru defender, who puts it just outside the penalty area. A volley back in by Tagliafico is worth a try but it sails high and wide.
23' Tagliafico breaks into the penalty area after being released by Messi, but Santamaria’s crucial block on a square pass to Lautaro Martinez puts it out for a corner.
21' Peru give away another needless free-kick inside Argentina’s half after a cynical push from Carrillo on Tagliafico gives the Albiceleste a chance to clear their lines from a set-piece.
19' Trauco goes to ground and scythes down De Paul in frustration, giving Argentina a cheap free-kick in their own half.
15' Tagliafico beats Corzo to the loose ball on the flank but his accurate, low cross to the front post is met by a scuffed Lautaro Martinez shot that misses the target entirely.
13' No penalty says the referee! There didn’t seem to be enough contact to give a spot-kick, but the match official jogging to the sideline to look at the monitor definitely illustrates the close nature of the decision. Argentina get the match restarted from a goal-kick after the stop in play.
10' Play is stopped for a VAR check to decide whether or not there should be a penalty awarded to Peru after Cueva was sent jumping over the goalkeeper during his previous chance. There appears to be some question of whether or not the goalkeeper, who was rushing off his line, made contact with the forward - bringing him down. Early controversy!
8' Cueva is sent through on goal after a phenomenal diagonal pass from Trauco at left-back finds the forward inside the penalty area, but his chipped effort over Armani is unable to find the target as it goes out for a goal-kick.
5' Messi steps up to take it but the wall’s jump meets the ball’s trajectory and it ricochets out for a corner.
4' Peru play themselves into trouble after a poor first touch forces Abram into a standing tackle, sending the ball up towards his arm. The referee gives Argentina a free-kick for handball as the hosts fail to play out of the back in the early stages.
3' An early VAR check confirms the referee’s decision to let play continue was correct after Peru’s forwards protested that Armani stepped out of his area with the ball in his hands. The goalkeeper came right up to the line but it doesn’t appear as though he’s done anything wrong.
1' Peru get the match underway from the kick-off!
Argentina make two changes to the XI that drew 1-1 with Paraguay last Thursday. The injury sustained to Exequiel Palacios in that match keeps him out of this fixture, with Lo Celso replacing him in midfield. The other swap is on the left wing, where Tagliafico plays ahead of Ocampos - pushing De Paul into a more forward position.
Peru make four changes from their 2-0 loss to Chile last week. Araujo and Advincula make way for Corzo and Santamaria on the right side of defence, while Cueva starts over Tapia in midfield. The final switch is in attack, where Ruidiaz is dropped for Lapadula.
ARGENTINA SUBS: Esteban Andrada, Agustin Marchesin, Walter Kannemann, Facundo Medina, Nehuen Perez, Alejandro Gomez, Joaquin Correa, Angel Di Maria, Guido Rodriguez, Nicolas Dominguez, Lucas Ocampos, Lucas Alario.
ARGENTINA XI (3-4-2-1): Franco Armani; Nicolas Otamendi, Lucas Martinez, Gonzalo Montiel; Nicolas Tagliafico, Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Nicolas Gonzalez; Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul; Lautaro Martinez.
PERU SUBS: Renato Solis, Jose Carvalho, Miguel Araujo, Marcos Lopez, Christian Ramos, Luis Advincula, Alexander Callens, Wilder Cartagena, Horacio Calcaterra, Andy Polo, Raul Ruidiaz, Aldair Rodriguez.
PERU XI (4-2-3-1) Pedro Gallese; Aldo Corzo, Anderson Santamaria, Luis Abram, Miguel Trauco; Pedro Aquino, Yoshimar Yotun; Andre Carrillo, Christian Cueva, Edison Flores; Gianluca Lapadula.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let’s look at how the two sides will line up - starting with Peru!
Lionel Messi’s displeasure with Argentina’s 1-1 draw with Paraguay last time out was palpable, after his would-be winner was chalked off due to a VAR decision for a foul in the build-up. The side he captains will get a chance to make amends against a Peru side who have only managed to beat the Albiceleste once in their 15 previous encounters; 2-1 in 1997. Winners of their last three matches away from home in all competitions, Lionel Scaloni’s stuttering attack will get a chance to boost their confidence against one of CONMEBOL’s most porous defences.
It’s been a lacklustre start for Peru, who managed to nick a late equaliser against Paraguay in their opening fixture, before losing to both Brazil and Chile. Coach Ricardo Gareca faces a similarly difficult test in his fourth match, as he sets his side out against his own nation of birth; Argentina. In his two previous meetings as head of the Blanquirroja, he’s managed two draws but may need something more this time around as Peru sit last in qualifying.
Hello and welcome to our live commentary of the CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 qualifier between Peru and Argentina!
