Uruguay 0-1 Argentina Player Ratings: Argentina Trounce on Uruguay in a Low-Stakes Affair

Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 in Round 13 of the World Cup Qualification CONMEBOL group stage round. It was an evenly contested affair and both sides were only separated by a stunning goal from Thiago Almada. Argentina remains at the top of the table whereas Uruguay stays at fourth place.

Ronald Araujo returns for Uruguay in defence whereas Manuel Ugarte missed out as he was suspended. Argentina are facing an injury crisis, as their star player Lionel Messi is out due to an abductor injury. Alongside him, Gonzalo Montiel, Giovanni Lo Celso, Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez all are injured, leaving Scaloni with fewer resources.

The match was off to a slow start, as both teams played it safe, as the qualifications of their sides are in the bag anyway. As a result, the game was a low-intensity affair. Paredes took the first shot of the night, which was a wayward hit from 25 yards out. Both the goal-keepers did not have anything to do in the half, as both sides did not have good quality shots on target. Uruguay dominated the possession in the half, whereas Argentina decided to play it safe as their talisman Lionel Messi was out. The half ended goalless, with both sides being happy with that.

Argentina opened the second half with one of their best chances as Almada laced up a curling shot which was set up by Alvarez, but Rochet did well with his both hands to deny the visitors. Argentina grew into the game, looking lively and were creating chances at regular intervals. The visitors rightfully took the lead as Thiago Almada pulled out an absolute stunner from outside the box, as his curling effort left everyone in awe and the goalkeeper could not do anything to save it.

Argentina then put all of their energy into defending the total, whereas Uruguay tried to chase an equalizer. While things looked all set to be done, Nico Gonzalez’s last-minute red card added some chaos to the fixture, albeit for a short time, as Uruguay threw everything that they had for the goal, which they could not get, leaving Argentina as the victors.

Uruguay will travel to play against Bolivia whereas Argentina will prepare to welcome their rivals Brazil at home.

Here are Uruguay vs Argentina player ratings.

Uruguay Player Ratings

GK- Sergio Rochet – 7/10

He showcased strong shot-stopping abilities throughout the game, despite limited high-pressure moments. He was not at fault for not being able to stop the shot of Almada, as it was too hard to save.

LB- Mathias Olivera – 5.5/10

A solid defensive performance that was not accompanied by an attacking display. He looked devoid of ideas driving forward, limiting his ability to make an impact.

CB- Ronald Araujo – 6/10

He exhibited great aerial presence, heading away the dangers and his reliable positioning helped the side to stay more solid defensively.

CB- Jose Gimenez – 6/10

Despite some disputes on the field, the captain showed leadership on multiple occasions, holding the backline together and his overall defensive display was satisfactory too.

RB- Nahitan Nandez – 5.5/10

It was a high-energy performance on the right flank, as his aggressive defending got him winning crucial fouls. However, his reckless challenge got him into the books of the referee.

CM- Federico Valverde – 6.5/10

The Real Madrid star controlled the midfield with his energetic distribution and some clever passes. He tried his best to marshal the troops and deservedly got an early rest

CM- Rodrigo Bentancur – 6/10

While there were some moments of excellence in his game, he was streaky and inconsistent, which hampered his ability to establish himself in the midfield.

CM- Giorgian De Arrascaeta – NA

He got the opening shot of the night for the hosts, struggled to keep up with the opposition initially and unfortunately, an injury forced him to leave the pitch late in the first half.

LW- Maximiliano Araujo – 5.5/10

His persistent efforts to make something happen and defensive contributions made him reliable but all things considered, it was an average outing for him.

ST- Darwin Nunez – 4/10

His poor run of form continues, as he struggles to impose himself. He failed to hit the shots on target properly nor create chances for his side with his movement.

RW- Facundo Pellistri – 5/10

He struggled to navigate the tight spaces and was often losing possession. While he was energetic, his inability to create something made him ineffective.

SUB- Nicolás de la Cruz – 6/10

He did well to replace De Arrascaeta in the first half, often spraying the ball around with his composed ball-playing ability.

SUB- Brian Rodriguez – 5.5/10

He provided a new perspective to the side, replacing Pellistri on the pitch. His overall impact was not that high but he contributed with his determined pressing.

SUB- Rodrigo Aguirre – 6/10

His primary purpose was to provide rest for their star player Valverde, whilst maintaining the same quality of performance on the pitch, which he did so.

SUB- Federico Vinas – 6/10

With limited minutes, he was not able to provide clear contributions but provided fresh legs as Darwin Nunez looked awful.

Manager- Marcelo Bielsa – 7/10

It was hard to watch a Bielsa side that was devoid of creativity, as the midfield struggled to create meaningful chances. While the defensive performance was excellent, it was unfortunate to concede a goal in the way they did.

Argentina Player Ratings

GK- Emiliano Martinez – 6.5/10

He did not face as many shots as he would have expected, but every time he did, he put in a good display with his efficient shot-stopping.

LB- Nicolas Tagliafico – 5.5/10

His defensive contributions were marred by some of his bad-timed challenges. His delivery from the left flank also left a lot of things desired.

CB- Nicolas Otamendi – 6/10

He provided defensive stability with his timely interceptions and crucial blocks. He was in sync with the backline and paired well with Romero.

CB- Cristian Romero – 6/10

After missing a lot of club football this season, Romero looked his best for his country, with his composure adding a sense of calmness to the backline with his ever-reliable passing and defensive presence.

RB- Nahuel Molina – 5/10

An uninspiring performance on the right flank, with multiple defensive lapses and equally failing to contribute to the attack with his forward runs.

CM- Enzo Fernandez – 6.5/10

An energetic display where his impeccable work and timely interceptions were one of the pivotal reasons for Argentina winning the ball back on multiple occasions.

CM- Leandro Paredes – 6/10

While his long range effort early in the first half went wayward, his defensive contributions were notable, as he did well to contribute to retaining possession and assisting in the buildup play.

CM- Alexis Mac Allister – 7/10

While not ending up with an assist, he did well to orchestrate some pretty chances with his incisive passing. His smart decision-making was there for everyone to see and his overall presence was influential.

LW- Thiago Almada – 8/10

A breathtaking curling shot from a distance to break the deadlock was a thing of beauty, a contribution that changed the complete nature of the game.

ST- Julian Alvarez – 8/10

His dynamic movement and off-the-ball intelligence were key for Argentina to create attacking chances. On some occasions, he made passes that his mentor Messi would be proud of and he rightfully got an assist for such fruitful contributions.

RW- Giuliano Simeone – 6/10

He did not get a lot of touches to make an impact but his energetic contributions to defense were notable.

SUB- Nicholas Gonzalez – 4/10

While he did well to maintain stability, he stuck out a very high boot that grazed Nandez’s neck and was rightfully sent off for that challenge.

SUB- Exequiel Palacios – 5.5/10

The Leverkusen midfielder entered on the pitch and with limited minutes in his hand, he did the best that he could.

SUB- Leonardo Balerdi – NA

The defender came into the mix very late into the game as part of a defensive change to seal the match and added fresh legs to the group.

SUB- Ángel Correa – NA

The attacker was put in very late in the game to replace the goal-scorer Thiago Almada.

Manager- Lionel Scaloni – 7/10

A solid defensive performance from his side, but the chances that they created were not that high, which is understandable as it was a low-stakes affair. However, they were lucky to go out with a win as their performance was equal to their opponents.

The Sportsdunia Player of the Match goes to Argentina’s Julian Alvarez.