A Messi-less Argentina loss has them facing the possibility of missing the World Cup
Argentina's World Cup hopes were already on the line when the sun came up on Tuesday. Then FIFA handed Lionel Messi a four-match suspension for insulting a referee in the previous match and, all of a sudden, La Albiceleste had real reason to be afraid they wouldn't make it to Russia.
Then Argentina, without Messi, went to Bolivia on Tuesday and lost 2-0.
Now, Argentina are down to fifth place in South American qualifying. That wouldn't even qualify them for the World Cup, instead sending them into a playoff. And scariest of all? The gap between them and a good Ecuador team in sixth place is just two points.
To say that Argentina's World Cup chances are hanging in the balance would be an understatement. They're under serious threat, and they have to play three of their four remaining matches without Messi (pending appeal). That's a recipe for potential disaster.
Argentina's upcoming schedule doesn't do them any favors either. They have to travel to Uruguay on the next matchday, a contest that they will not be favored in. And even when they get Messi back for the final match of qualifying? They're away to Ecuador, playing in front of a hostile crowd at an altitude of 9,000 feet.
It's easy to dismiss Argentina's loss to Bolivia on Tuesday. After all, La Paz is a notoriously difficult place to play as altitude chokes opposing teams. La Albiceleste lost 6-1 there last qualifying cycle. But while it may not have been indicative of future struggles, the table doesn't lie. Argentina are on the brink and facing three more matches without Messi. Even when he is back, it could be a match for a spot in the World Cup, and it will be in Ecuador and they will be underdogs.
Argentina have plenty of time to punch their ticket to Russia, but with just four matches to play and no Messi for three of those (unless FIFA is lenient in its appeal ruling), it's time to start pondering a World Cup without La Albiceleste for the first time since 1970.
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