Paraguay Stuns Argentina; Brazil Held by Venezuela

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, faced a surprising 2-1 defeat to Paraguay in a South American World Cup qualifier, despite taking an early lead through Lautaro Martinez's goal. Paraguay equalized with a spectacular bicycle kick by Antonio Sanabria and secured victory with Omar Alderete's header early in the second half. Messi expressed frustration with the officiating, specifically towards referee Anderson Daronco, due to aggressive play by Paraguay that went unpunished. Despite the loss, Argentina remains at the top of the standings with 22 points, while Paraguay moved to sixth place, boosting their World Cup qualification hopes. Meanwhile, Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela, with Vinicius Júnior missing a penalty, keeping Brazil in third place on the table. Both Argentina and Brazil face challenges in maintaining their standings as the qualification matches continue.