Barranquilla, Colombia, Nov 17: Two-time World Cup winner Argentina scored a vital 2-1 victory in its 2014 World Cup football qualifier against Colombia here on Tuesday.
Goals by two-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero saw the Argentineans — who have not won the trophy since 1986 — come from behind and join Copa America champion Uruguay at the top of the standings on seven points.
Messi was at the heart of Argentina's game and his endeavours paid off on the hour mark as he was quickest to react when Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina failed to fend off a cross and the Barcelona star was on hand to level the scores.
Messi shrugged off being brought down time and again by the physical Colombian defenders and started the move that gave Argentina its winning goal. He fed Gonzalo Higuain, but the striker's shot was beaten out by Ospina only for Aguero to knock it into the net and give Argentina a much-needed win as it seeks to reach the finals hosted by Brazil.
The results:
Asian Zone: At Riyadh:Saudi Arabia 0 drew with Oman 0.At Doha:Qatar 0 drew with Bahrain 0.
South American Zone: At Barranquilla:Colombia 1 (Pabon) lost to Argentina 2 (Messi, Aguero).At Quito:Ecuador 2 (Mendez, Benitez) bt Peru 0.At Santiago:Chile 2 (Contreras, Campos Toro) bt Paraguay 0.
Africa Zone: At Nairobi: Kenya 4 (Brian Mandela, Dennis Oliech, Titus Mulama, Victor Wanyama) bt Seychelles 0 (Kenya wins 7-0 on aggregate).At Lome:Togo 1 (Serge Gakpe) bt Guinea Bissau 0 (Togo wins 2-1).
At Windhoek: Namibia 4 (Heinrich Isaacks, Lazarus Kaimbi 2, Sydney Urikhob) bt Djibouti 0 (Namibia wins 8-0).At Maputo:Mozambique 4 (Elias ‘Domingues' Pelembe, Jeremias ‘Jerry' Sitoe, Francisco ‘Whiskey' Massinga, Clesio Bauque) bt Comoros Islands 1 (Mohamed Youssouf) (Mozambique wins 5-1).At Antananarivo:Madagascar 2 (Yvan Rajoarimanana, Ferdinand Ramanamahefa) bt Equatorial Guinea 1 (Donvalla Elongue) (Equatorial Guinea wins 3-2).
At Bujumbura: Burundi 2 (Cedric Amissi, Yamin Ndikumana) bt Lesotho 1 (Bokang Mothoana) (Lesotho wins on away goals after 2-2 tie).
At Kigali: Rwanda 3 (Olivier Karekezi, Jean-Claude Iranzi, Labama Kamana) bt Eritrea 1 (Abraham Tedros) (Rwanda wins 4-2).At Kinshasa:Democratic Republic of Congo 5 (Mabi Mputu 2, Kaluyituka Dioko 2, Ilunga Diba) Swaziland 1 (Sidumo Shongwe) (DR Congo wins 8-2).
At Pointe Noire: Congo Brazzaville 1 (Francis Nganga) drew with Sao Tome e Principe 1 (Orlando Gando) (Congo wins 6-1).
At Dar es Salaam: Tanzania 0 lost to Chad 1 (Mahamat Labo) (Tanzania wins on away goals after 2-2 tie).
