Argentina moved closer to securing their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay in the 13th round of South American qualifiers. Despite missing their talisman Lionel Messi, the reigning world champions managed to grind out a crucial win.

The decisive moment came in the 68th minute when Thiago Almada unleashed a stunning long-range strike to break the deadlock. Assisted by Julián Álvarez, Almada's goal proved to be the difference in a tightly contested match.

With this victory, Argentina now needs just one more point from their upcoming match against Brazil on Tuesday in Buenos Aires to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Uruguay 0-1 Argentina

Goal: 0:1 - 68, Thiago Almada (Julián Álvarez)