With a penalty goal and an assist from James Rodríguez, Colombia avenged their recent Copa America final defeat by defeating Argentina 2-1 on Tuesday during the eighth round of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Colombia’s captain led the team to victory by scoring at the 60-minute mark and providing a precise pass for Yerson Mosquera to head in another goal. James once again showcased his skill, following his standout performance in the continental championship held in the United States from June to July, where he was named the best player.
An error by James allowed Argentina to temporarily equalize at the 48-minute mark. A misplaced back pass from the new Rayo Vallecano player put Nicolás González in a sprint to steal the ball, which he quickly converted into a goal against goalkeeper Vargas.
“This is a good victory, against an Argentina that has won everything,” Rodríguez stated after the match. “The weather was tough, it was very hot, but we played an excellent game. It’s a deserved win.”
Undefeated in the qualifiers, Colombia reached 16 points, just two behind Argentina, which, despite the loss, remains at the top of the standings.
At the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla, where temperatures soared to 32 degrees Celsius during the game, Colombia started by controlling the ball while Argentina organized itself in two lines of four, using Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez as offensive options.
With their captain Lionel Messi sidelined due to injury, the Albiceleste team did not apply the same high pressure as seen in their previous game against Chile in Buenos Aires, which ended in a 3-0 victory. Instead, they aimed to slow down the match and utilize pauses to regain energy.
“The time of the match wasn’t ideal; it could have been played at 5, 6, or 7 PM,” Scaloni commented. “The heat is the same for both teams, but the conditions for an entertaining spectacle aren’t good.”
Colombia’s first opportunity came in the eighth minute from a corner kick, which the world champions defended fiercely.
At the 24-minute mark, Rodríguez—who regained his starting position after being a substitute in the 1-1 draw against Peru—made a filtered pass to Luis Díaz, which was thwarted by a timely intervention from Nicolás Otamendi.
James was again involved moments later, quickly taking a corner that enabled Jhon Arias to create a scoring chance, leading to a header goal by Mosquera that beat goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
James reached 11 assists in his South American qualifying career, surpassing Carlos Valderrama’s record.
“To beat the best team of the moment, we had to do many things right,” explained Colombia’s coach, Néstor Lorenzo. “It was a balanced match, not flashy, but when we needed to score, we did; and when we had to play, we created chances.”
Despite Argentina pushing forward after Colombia’s mistake and a hydration break, they failed to seriously threaten Vargas in the first half.
Following halftime, Argentina capitalized on a mistake from Colombia to equalize the game. Shortly after, Colombia regained momentum, earning a foul within the box by Otamendi against defender Daniel Muñoz, which initially went uncalled by Chilean referee Piero Maza. After a lengthy VAR review, a penalty was awarded, allowing James to rectify his earlier error and become a key player once again.
The Colombian number 10 deceived “Dibu” Martínez and, with his excellent strike, sent the ball flying into the corner to restore their lead.
“For me, on the pitch, it wasn’t a penalty. Nico (Otamendi) dove in front,” Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes lamented. “Beyond the penalty decision, it was a balanced match. The heat is not an excuse, although we are not accustomed to it.”
Rodríguez reached 13 goals during the qualifiers, matching Radamel Falcao García’s record.
Scaloni refreshed his team by bringing in Marcos Acuña and Alexis Mac Allister, joining Nahuel Molina, who came on at halftime. Colombia, more acclimated to the heat of their home stadium, made their first changes at the 79-minute mark, introducing Kevin Castaño and Jhon Córdoba.
One of the substitutes, Jhon Arias, received applause for his strong performance in midfield.
Despite the urge to equalize, Argentina showed signs of fatigue late in the game and could not avoid their first loss since November when they faced Uruguay.