Argentina 1-0 Colombia: Lautaro Martinez extends hosts' unbeaten run in WCQ

Argentina have stretched their unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying to 15 games after Lautaro Martinez's first-half strike condemned Colombian to yet another defeat while leaving their hopes of reaching this year's tournament hanging by a thread.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

3' Ocampos' long shot over the bar

16' CLOSE! Di Maria's long shot inches wide

28' GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Colombia (Lautaro)

34' CHANCE! Di Maria's free kick stopped

43' Yellow Card! Acuna booked

45' Martinez makes decent save

48' Acuna's long shot too straight

57' Yellow Card! Montiel booked

58' Lautaro's long shot wide out

60' Di Maria's free kick stopped

64' CHANCE! Di Maria's long shot stopped again

74' Lo Celso's long shot over the bar

85' CLOSE! Tesillo hits the post

91' Gonzalez almost scores an own goal

93' Dybala's free kick over the bar

The hosts made the breakthrough after just half an hour played as Lautaro Martinez collected a cross inside the box before squirming the ball past Vargas in the Colombia net to give Lionel Scaloni's side a well-deserved lead. It is Martinez's 19th goal for his country.

Despite Argentina's dominance, Colombia nearly scored a shock equaliser with the last kick of the first-half but the effort was cleared off the line with a last-gasp clearance.

The visitors then nearly got a dramatic equaliser in stoppage-time, only for Emi Martinez to somehow prevent the ball from going in before the offside flag was raised. Colombia have now worryingly failed to score in seven straight World Cup qualifiers, leaving Reinaldo Rueda's side to face serious questions.

Full match report to follow

Line-ups

Argentina XI: Gomez, Di Maria, E. Martinez, Pezzella, Ocampos, Acuna, G. Rodriguez, Lo Celso, Lautaro, G. Montiel, Martinez

Subs: F. Armani, Andrada, Dybala, M. Meza, Correa, Buendia, L. Martínez, N. Molina, N. Gonzalez, N. Perez, J. Álvarez

Colombia XI: C. Vargas, Cuadrado, James, S. Medina, W. Tesillo, Mojica, M. Borja, M. Uribe, W. Barrios, Sanchez, L. Díaz

Subs: Falcao, O. Murillo, G. Cuéllar, A. Mosquera, Y. Chará, F. Hinestroza, V. Cantillo, H. Preciado, Borré, D. Valoyes, L. Suárez, D. Muñoz