Sports

Chile 0-1 Argentina, FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers: Alvarez바카라™s Early Goal Fuels Albiceleste Win

Argentina secured a slender 1-0 win over struggling Chile in Matchday 15 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers on Thursday, 5 June, with Julian Alvarez scoring early in the 16th minute to keep La Albiceleste at the top of the standings. Thiago Almada played the Atletico striker through, and Alvarez chipped it over the goalkeeper to hand Argentina the winning goal. Lionel Messi entered the match as a second-half substitute and played a terrific through ball for Giuliano Simeone, which the latter failed to finish.

World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer: Argentina vs Chile
World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer: Chile vs Argentina | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile.

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World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer: Chile vs Argentina
World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer: Argentina vs Chile | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Lionel Messi, right, and Chile's Francisco Sierralta battle for the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Santiago, Chile.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers: Argentina vs Chile
FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers: Chile vs Argentina | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Franco Mastantuono, left, and Chile's Rodrigo Echeverria battle for the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Santiago, Chile.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers: Chile vs Argentina
FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL Qualifiers: Argentina vs Chile | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Cristian Romero, left, hands the captain's armband to Lionel Messi, entering as a substitute, during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile.

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Argentina Chile WCup Soccer: Argentina vs Chile
Chile Argentina WCup Soccer: Chile vs Argentina | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Chile's Fabian Hormazabal (2) and Argentina's Thiago Almada battle for the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Santiago, Chile.

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Chile Argentina WCup Soccer: Chile vs Argentina
Argentina Chile WCup Soccer: Argentina vs Chile | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Giuliano Simeone, right, and Chile's Guillermo Maripan battle for the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Santiago, Chile.

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World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match: Argentina vs Chile
World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match: Chile vs Argentina | Photo: AP/Luis Hidalgo

Argentina's Giuliano Simeone, left, and Chile's Felipe Loyola battle for the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Santiago, Chile.

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