Argentina Are In Big Trouble After Latest World Cup Qualifying Result

And it may not happen next year.

Barcelona star Messi hit the post in the second half but could only watch in frustration after serving up a stream of chances for team-mates who failed to convert.

Their final match is against Chile, who incidentally are the only team to beat them in the whole of qualifying.

“All that was missing was a goal”, he said after the Peru draw, adding that he was “very confident in the fact that we’ll be at the World Cup”.

“The team is already thinking about what is coming, the match against Ecuador”.

Five teams are potential World Cup qualifying opponents for New Zealand to emerge from South America following the penultimate round of CONMEBOL federation matches.

Already qualified Brazil drew 0-0 with Bolivia in on Thursday.

Meanwhile a late victor by Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez saw Chile beat Ecuador 2-1 to move above Argentina, who find themselves in sixth place with one game to go.

That left the focus on the teams jostling behind the five-time champions for the three remaining automatic spots.

If Argentina draw, things get even more complicated.

Argentina can still lose and reach the playoffs, providing Peru suffer an even heavier defeat and Paraguay fail to win.

In the final round of matches on Tuesday, Uruguay face Bolivia, Peru host Colombia, Ecuador are at home against Argentina, Chile visit Brazil and Paraguay meet Venezuela.

It’s nearly unthinkable. No Messi.

Despite their perilous position, Sampaoli is convinced Argentina will be in Russian Federation next summer. But it could happen.

The problem, though, is that Argentina simply can not find the net – just 16 goals in their 17 qualification matches attest to that.

This seems unreal to type, but Argentina may not make it to next year’s World Cup in Russian Federation.

Once again they struggled to turn a wealth of possession – 66 per cent – into goals despite 22 shots.

“Barcelona and the Argentine national team can not afford to allow 10 minutes to pass in a game without Leo Messi touching the ball”, Xavi said.

“I never saw such disappointment in a dressing room; several of my team-mates were crying and Adolfo Pedernera [Argentina’s coach] was sat silently in a corner smoking”, Argentine player Alberto Rendo told FIFA.com.

The 27-year-old striker has been in top form for Boca Juniors, whose home stadium, La Bombonera, will provide a cauldron of noise in Buenos Aires after specifically being chosen as the venue.

Sampaoli tried to sound upbeat.

Brazil have been on fire and they top the group with 38 points, having secured qualification some six months ago.

Messi and Co then travel to Ecuador in their final group game as they continue their attempt turning around a miserable string of performances under former Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli.

“Getting a result in Argentina is really hard”, he said. “But it depends on us”.