Paraguay Stuns Argentina with Spectacular Victory in Qualifiers

Paraguay secured a 2-1 victory over Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers with remarkable goals from Antonio Sanabria and Omar Alderete. Despite Argentina's early lead through Lautaro Martinez, Paraguay equalized and later clinched the win. Argentina remains top of the standings while Paraguay advances to sixth place.

In a thrilling encounter during the South American World Cup qualifiers, Paraguay secured an impressive 2-1 home victory against Argentina. The match unfolded with Argentina taking an early lead thanks to Lautaro Martinez's goal just 11 minutes in. However, Paraguay soon equalized through an astonishing bicycle kick by Antonio Sanabria, leaving Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with no chance.

The visitors appeared unsettled, and the second half saw Paraguay capitalize on their momentum. Just two minutes after the break, a foul by Argentina's Leonardo Balerdi on Julio Enciso resulted in a free kick, which Omar Alderete expertly converted with a powerful header. The victory catapulted Paraguay to sixth place in the standings, level with Uruguay.

While Argentina remains atop the standings with 22 points from 11 matches, Paraguay's triumph underscores the fierce competition in the qualifiers, with the top six securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup finals.

(With inputs from agencies.)