Alexis Mac Allister scored as Argentina thrashed South American rival Brazil 4-1 in World Cup qualifying. The Liverpool midfielder, who was involved in a brawl during Argentina’s previous game against Uruguay, netted the world champion’s third goal of the game with a neat volley, lofting the ball over Bento in Brazil’s goal from Enzo Fernandez’s cross.
He was one of five Liverpool players in senior international action over the last 24 hours, with Luis Diaz also getting on the scoresheet in World Cup qualifying for his country. Diaz displayed some brilliant footwork before finding the net in the first minute of Colombia’s game against Paraguay, and grabbed an assist just over 10 minutes later as Jhon Duran made it 2-0, but Paraguay scored twice in the second half to earn a point.
Darwin Nunez, who last week said he wanted to forget his Liverpool struggles after linking up with the Uruguay squad, came on as a half-time substitute in his country’s 0-0 draw with Bolivia, while in Asian World Cup qualifying, Wataru Endo was also involved in a goalless draw, against Saudi Arabia. In African World Cup qualifying, Mohamed Salah played the full 90 minutes as Egypt recorded a 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone.
Undoubtedly the standout Reds performers over the last day or so were Mac Allister and Diaz, and both players received rave reviews for their displays in the Argentinean and Colombian press respectively.
Pagina 12 handed Mac Allister a 9/10 in its player ratings, commenting: “He was one of the most advanced players on the team, sometimes even playing as a false nine when Julian [Alvarez] started running all over the pitch. One of those players who is always signaling to organize the rest. Another tactical performance. He showed his technique when he connected with Enzo’s pass for the 3-1. And he didn’t escape contact.”
Meanwhile, BolaVip went with an 8.5/10 rating, saying: “One of the key players in a midfield that functioned perfectly. He also produced a precise finish to score Argentina’s third goal.” Ole handed Mac Allister an 8/10, saying: “Pure authority. Play and brilliance. Brilliant finish to make it 3-1 without looking and anticipating Bento. He never made a mistake. He has no ceiling.”
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Diaz’s goal against Paraguay pulled him level with Lionel Messi at the top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying top scorer charts, but he picked up a booking that means he will miss Colombia’s next qualifier.
His performance prompted praise from El Tiempo, which said: “It was a match that Colombia was beginning to settle into with ease, thanks to Luis Diaz, who started with a desire to conquer the world and participated in both goals scored by the national team in the first 15 minutes.” El Colombiano, meanwhile, described Diaz as “the national team’s key player”, although the overriding theme of the Colombian press’s reporting around the game was one of disappointment over the dropped points. Colombia has won just one of its last six matches and now occupies the sixth and final World Cup qualifying position in the CONMEBOL standings.
