Fri Oct 11 00:42:05 UTC 2024: ## Messi Returns, But Rain Drenches Argentina’s World Cup Qualifying Hopes
**Maturín, Venezuela** – Lionel Messi made his return to the Argentine National Team on Thursday, but a saturated pitch and a determined Venezuelan side conspired to hold the reigning World Cup champions to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup 2026 qualifying match.
Despite the challenging conditions, Argentina took an early lead through Nicolás Otamendi’s goal in the 13th minute. However, Venezuela’s Salomón Rondón equalized with a header in the 65th minute, ultimately securing a valuable point for the host nation.
The match was marred by the heavy rain, which transformed the pitch into a muddy quagmire. Players struggled to maintain their footing and control the ball, leading to a scrappy and uninspired encounter. Both Messi and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expressed their frustration with the pitch, calling it “very difficult to play on.”
Messi, who was making his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in the Copa America final, managed to play 78 minutes but had a limited impact on the match. He missed several chances, including a shot that was blocked by Venezuelan goalkeeper Rafael Romo in the 73rd minute.
Despite the draw, Argentina remains atop the Conmebol World Cup qualifying standings with 19 points. Their next match is against Bolivia in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
Argentina’s travel plans were also disrupted by Hurricane Milton, which forced the team to make a detour through Colombia before reaching Venezuela. The team trained in Fort Lauderdale this week at Messi’s MLS club, Inter Miami, before facing the challenges of the wet pitch and a resilient Venezuelan side.
Messi will return to Inter Miami for their regular season finale on October 19th, with the MLS Cup Playoffs beginning on October 25th.
First Piper 