Lionel Messi held his nerve to successfully convert from the penalty spot to rescue a point for Argentina against Paraguay as their chances of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019 Copa America hang by a thread.
Argentina were also indebted to goalkeeper Franco Armani, who saved Derlis Gonzalez's second-half penalty.
The 1-1 draw in Belo Horizonte leaves Argentina bottom of Group B on one point from two games played. Leaders Colombia, on six points, sealed their safe passage to the last eight with a 1-0 win over tournament guests Qatar, while Paraguay sit second on two points after successive draws.
However, with the two best third-placed teams advancing to the quarter-finals, Argentina can still reach the quarter-finals with a decisive win over Qatar in their final group game.
Lionel Scaloni said Argentina "have to win" against the Asian Champions on Sunday, adding that his side "are lucky that we are still alive in this tournament".
"We will take stock of what we did well and what we did not do well and we will make decisions," added Scaloni, who was quick to acknowledge his goalkeeper for keeping Argentina's Copa hopes alive.
"We trust Franco," Scaloni said. "He is our starting goalkeeper. He saved a penalty and kept us alive. I'm glad he had a good performance."
Scaloni admitted his side had not played well and struggled to cope with the shock of conceding the first goal.
"Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball," Scaloni said.
"They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at half time that it was just one goal."
The disjointed performance at the Mineirao came just three days after a lacklustre effort against Colombia in which Argentina suffered a 2-0 defeat in their opener.
A cagey opening stanza saw very little goalmouth action until a Gonzalez deflection and a Junior Alonso effort from a corner ignited the game at the half-hour mark.
Messi was presented with his first sight at goal after Lautaro Martinez won a free kick in a dangerous position, but the Barcelona forward's shot was easily gathered by Paraguay goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez.
A swift Paraguay counter-attack was rewarded on 37 minutes. Miguel Almiron showed the trailing Roberto Pereya a clean pair of heels down down the left wing. The Newcastle United midfielder's cross was met by Richard Sanchez, who drilled a low effort beyond the diving Armani.
The Argentine goalkeeper was lucky to stay on the pitch minutes later after racing out of his area to fell Gonzalez with a wild kick, receiving only a yellow card.
Scaloni withdrew the ineffective Rodrigo De Paul for Sergio Aguero at the interval and the livewire Manchester City striker sparked Argentina into life.
Aguero, who was left out of the starting XI after an underwhelming showing against Colombia, picked out Martinez in the area with a neat pull back but his fellow striker could only direct his shot on to the woodwork.
However, a Video Assistant Referee review found that Martinez's shot had struck Ivan Piris' arm before hitting the bar and Brazilian referee Wilson Sampaio pointed to the spot.
Messi, presented with a one-on-one against Fernandez from 12 yards, stroked the ball home for his 68th Argentina goal in 132 games.
The drama did not end there though. Armani, who could count himself lucky to still be on the pitch, guessed the right way to parry Gonzalez's 62nd-minute penalty after the Paraguay striker had been hacked down in the area by Nicolas Otamendi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
