Result: Bolivia 1-2 Argentina
Date: 13 October 2020
Venue: Estadio Hernando Siles
Argentina maintained their perfect start in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after coming from behind to beat Bolivia 2-1 on Tuesday evening.
La Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni made only one change from the slender win over Ecuador, with Exequiel Palacios replacing Marcos Acuna.
Bolivia were causing problems in the early stages and went on to get the opening goal through Marcelo Moreno, who nodded home a cross by Alejandro Chumacero.
Argentina were growing in the game in the latter phase of the first stanza and came close to equalising five minutes before the break after Leandro Paredes' strike from outside the box rattled the frame of the goal.
Martinez finally levelled matters for the visitors on the stroke of half-time with a freak goal after Jose Carrasco's clearance ricocheted off the Inter Milan striker's out-stretched leg and into the back of the net.
La Albiceleste were finding chances in the early exchanges of the first stanza but they were not putting them away, which saw Scaloni make his first change on the hour mark after bringing on Joaquin Correa in place of Ocampos for fresh legs.
Lionel Messi came to life in the last quarter of an hour for Argentina, as he setup Martinez to go clear on goal but the Inter striker was denied by goalkeeper Carlos Lampe in a one-on-one situation.
Messi was instrumental again with 11 minutes left, as he played Martinez between the lines before the Inter man played in Correa, who fired home the winner for Argentina, as they held on to go top of the qualifying log with a maximum of six points while Bolivia are rooted at the bottom.
