Valverde’s Uruguay beats Argentina, climbs to second in the CONMEBOL qualifier standings

In a crucial World Cup qualifying clash, Uruguay pulled off an impressive 2-0 away victory against rivals Argentina at La Bombonera Stadium. Argentina had to play at Boca Juniors’ home ground as River Plate had rented out the Monumental Stadium for a Taylor Swift concert previously, and the ground did not recover in time.

The first half was well contested, with Argentina controlling possession but struggling to break down Uruguay’s organized defense. The deadlock was finally broken just before halftime, when FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo found the net in the 41st minute to give Uruguay the lead, almost against the run of play.

Uruguay remained resolute after the break, limiting Argentina’s opportunities despite the hosts dominating possession. As the match edged toward full-time, Uruguay finished the game off as Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez slotted home in the 87th minute to secure the 2-0 win.

A dominant midfield performance from Fede Valverde was instrumental in Uruguay’s victory. He tirelessly disrupted Argentina’s rhythm, completing 38 of 45 passes and three accurate long balls over the 90 minutes. Valverde won five out of seven ground duels while making three crucial tackles and one interception to break up play.

The result leaves Argentina still at the top of the Conmebol standings. However, Uruguay now sit just a couple of points behind in second place after a massive win over their close rivals. Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay side have scored the most goals (10) in the South American qualifiers so far.