Lionel Messi: ‘Intense’ Uruguay play with Marcelo Bielsa’s style،
Lionel Messi could not help Argentina extend their unbeaten streak since winning the World Cup and after the match he thanked his compatriot and former national team coach Marcelo Bielsa for implementing his style to Uruguay.
Uruguay beat Argentina 2-0 on Thursday at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires – their second big victory under new coach Bielsa after beating Brazil 2-1 in October. The result handed Argentina their first defeat in a competitive match since opening the World Cup group stage against Saudi Arabia in last year’s final in Qatar.
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“You can see Bielsa’s hand in the way Uruguay plays,” Messi said after the match. “In all national teams or clubs, including Argentina, his style was very recognizable. And he has a good generation of players. [in Uruguay]”.
Argentina still tops the 10-team South American qualifying group with 12 points from five matches, but Uruguay are second with 10 points and were aggressive from the start against the World Cup champions. world.
“They are an intense team and it was difficult for us to play our game,” Messi said. “They have physical and fast players in midfield. We never feel comfortable and we haven’t found a way to possess the ball for a long period of time.
“So the match was at a fast pace and we fell into this style, which is not the best for us.”
Nahuel Molina beat his defender on the backline and gently delivered a low cross into the penalty area where Ronald Araújo sent it into the back of the net for Uruguay’s opener before half-time and the Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez doubled the lead late in the second half. .
The historic result for Uruguay marked the first time they had beaten Argentina in an away World Cup qualifier and ended a 25-match unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying. Lionel Scaloni’s team.
“We never felt comfortable in this match,” Messi said. “Uruguay are a physical team, they have good teamwork. It’s always like that against them.”
Messi’s close friend Luis Suárez, who just returned to the Uruguayan national team, did not play.
Argentina plays again on Tuesday against Brazil, beaten 2-1 by Colombia for its second consecutive defeat, while Uruguay hosts Bolivia the same day.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
