New Delhi: Lionel Messi and Argentina suffered a 2-1 defeat against Paraguay in a fiery clash held in Asunción on Friday. The intense encounter saw the Argentina captain confronting Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco during half-time over a contentious first-half decision.
In the 32nd minute, Paraguay defender Omar Alderete got a yellow card. Five minutes later he brought down Messi to the ground during a counter-attack but the referee ignored the same and didn’t hand over another yellow card. At the end of the first half, Messi confronted the referee and could be seen pointing his finger at him.
During the match, Lionel Messi faced hostility from the Paraguay fans while attempting to take a corner as bottles were thrown in his direction.
Paraguay fans threw a bottle at Messi during the corner kick, and the phrase ‘shitty dwarf’ can be heard in the video. 🇵🇾
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) November 15, 2024
In response to the incident, Alderete shared an apology on Instagram expressing regret for the behavior of the Paraguayan supporters. “Leo Messi, I sincerely apologize on behalf of my country for the disgraceful act of someone throwing a bottle at you. You are a hero to millions here and worldwide (especially to Fede),” he wrote.
He added, “We deeply regret this disrespectful act that does not represent our admiration and affection for you.” The match began with the defending champions taking the lead in the 11th minute into the game when Enzo Fernandez found Lautaro Martinez and the striker made it 1-0.
📝 El mensaje que le dejó Omar Alderete a Lionel Messi después de que le lanzaran una botella al argentino: pic.twitter.com/7zjgE9BuPX
— Samuel Vargas (@SVargasOK) November 16, 2024
In the 19th minute, Antonio Sanabria leveled the score at 1-1 with an impressive bicycle kick off a cross from Gustavo Velazquez. Just two minutes into the second half, Omar Alderete found the back of the net with a header from a well-placed free-kick, putting Paraguay ahead 2-1.
Messi and Argentina are set to return to action on November 1 when they face Peru as they aim to end their three-game winless run. Reflecting on the match, Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the challenge, stating, “The early goal in the second half complicated things. Credit to the opponent for their excellent defensive performance.”
Lionel Messi faces fan hostility in Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Paraguay, prompting defender Omar Alderete to issue a heartfelt apology on behalf of his country. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
