ARG vs CHI Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier: Second-half goals from Mac Allister, Alvarez and Dybala help Argentina ease past Chile

And that is it for the night as the referee blows the whistle for full-time amidst the loud chants from the home crowd. Second-half goals from Mac Allister, Alvarez and Dybala ensure that Argentina remains on top of the FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying standings. 

Argentina will next face Colombia on September 11.

Dybala scores!! Argentina plays a corner short and the ball falls to Garnacho on the left side of the box. He passes it to Dybala who drives into the box and shoots with his left. The keeper is distracted by the bodies in front of him as ball goes past him into the back of the net.

Argentina: Alvarez is replaced by debutant Valentin Castellanos

Five minutes of added time to play.

Julian Alvarez scores!!! Argentina press high and Enzo Fernadez wins the ball from the Chile players. The ball falls to Alvarez who lashes his left foot at the ball from outside the box. The ball sails towards the goal and goes in off the crossbar.

What a strike from La Arana!!

Dybala is straight into the action as he wins the ball in the middle of the pitch and plays it to Alvarez who is making a run. However, he is unable to bring it under control and the ball is cleared away by the Chile defence.

Argentina: Lautaro, Mac Allister and Lisandro Martinez are replaced by Alejandro Garnacho, Paulo Dybala and Marcos Acuna

Chile: Galdames and Echeverria are replaced by Claudio Baeza and Eugenio Mena

Felipe Loyola is brought down by Lo Celso with a rough tackle. The referee does not hesitate to show him a yellow card.

De Paul plays a ball through into the box for Mac Allister. He goes for goal from a tight angle but is closed down by Arias who makes himself big to make a save.

Brilliant play from Argentina to break away from the Chile press and go on a counter. Mas Allister gets the ball and plays it through for Lautaro Martinez. He takes a touch and is brought down by Paulo Diaz before he can pass it forward.

The referee tries to play advantage but ends up giving the foul and books Diaz.

Chile: Davila and Nunez are replaced by Carlos Palacios and Williams Alarcon

Chile is desperate for a goal now but cannot seem to find a way past the well-organised Argentine defence. Catalan tries to play in a cross from the right side of the box but Otamendi does well to block it away for a corner.

Lisandro Martinez on the run now. He drives up the pitch and gives the ball to Mac Allister on the wing. 

Mac Allister tries to find someone inside the box but Catalan stretches a foot out to intercept the ball and clear it away.

Worry for Argentina. Gonzalez goes down with an injury and it looks like he will not be able to continue. He is replaced by Giovani Lo Celso who has inherited the number 11 shirt from Angel Di Maria,

Mac Allister scores!! Julian Alvarez gets the ball on the right side of the penalty area and he puts in a low cross into the box.

Lautaro cleverly leaves the ball for Mac Allister who runs into the box and calmly finishes it first-time into the net.

Argentina gets a freekick on the right side of the pitch after Romero is fouled by Davila. The cross in from De Paul is headed by Lisandro Martinez but it is easily gathered by Arias.

Chile kicks off the second half, shooting from right to left. No substitutions for either side at the break.

An exciting end to the first half as the players remain on the pitch to have a discussion with the referee. 

Argentina had its moments but it is Chile who has come the closest. All to play for in the second half.

Three minutes of added time.

Chile is finishing strong in the first half as they regain possession of the ball from a corner. Isla plays in a cross from the middle of the pitch and Catalan rises the highest to get his head on the ball.

Emiliano Martinez can only watch as the ball goes past him and strikes the right post. Lucky break for Argentina as Martinez grabs the ball and goes to ground.

It is heating up in the final minutes of the first half as the Chile players are crowding the referee asking for a card against Romero, who brought down Vargas while he was trying to break away.

The referee claims that Romero got the ball and furiously dismisses the appeals of the Chile players.

Chile midfielder Marcelino Nunez is booked for a hard tackle on Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the pitch.

Moments later Gonzalez is brought down from behind by Davila and the Chilean is subsequently booked for his challenge.

Lautaro Martinez gets the ball at the edge of the penalty box. He tries to turn and get a shot away but is closed down by the Chile defenders 

De Paul whips in a cross from the right for Martinez inside the box. The Chile keeper Arias comes off his line and punches the ball away from danger, but ends up heavily colliding with Martinez.

Both players go to the ground and the referee stops play for medical attention.

Play resumes after both players are cleared to carry on.

A promising move from Chile is stopped by a foul by De Paul on Davila. He seemed to have escaped without a card until he went back to a grounded Davila to exchange some words.

Once again the Chilean players crowd the referee and this time he reaches into his pocket and flashes the yellow card at De Paul.

De Paul gives away the ball and Chile is on the attack now. The ball falls to Vargas who takes a touch and tries to shoot it with his left. Romero slides in a blocks the shot away for a corner.

Finally some action at the other end of the pitch. 

Freekick comes in from near the right corner flag for Argentina. The cross from De Paul is met by Gonzalez who keeps it on target, but it is an easy gather for Arias in the end.

De Paul plays a ball through for Lautaro who gives it back with a spectacular backheel.

De Paul charges into the box and strikes the ball with power and forces a good save from Arias.

Argentina is playing with fire as Romero passes the ball back to Martinez, who in turn passes it sideward to Otamendi despite the incoming pressure from Eduardo Vargas. 

The Argentine players keep calm and play the ball out from the Chilean press.

De Paul finds Molina on the right. He tries to play a through ball to Alvarez into the box but there is too much power on the pass as it rolls out for a goal kick.

Once again Molina drives down the right wing and squares the ball to Alvarez at the edge of the box. He turns and lays it off to De Paul who tries to hit it with the outside of his foot.

Catalan gets in the way and head the ball away for a corner.

Some heated moments already in the match as Romero brings down Victor Davila with a harsh challenge from behind in the middle of the pitch. 

The Chilean players immediately crowd the referee asking for a card. The referee waves the players away and says no card. Romero is lucky to escape a yellow card there.

Argentina maintains possession of the ball in the opening minutes of the match. Molina whips in a cross from the right which is brought down by Martinez inside the box. He cannot keep it under control as a charging Alvarez swipes at it.

He fires it into the stands in the end.

Argentina kicks off the match shooting from right to left.

Angel Di Maria is felicitated and presented before the home crowd after he announced his retirement following Argentina’s Copa America 2024 triumph in July.

The players have made their way into the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires. Nicolas Otamendi leads Argentina while Mauricio Isla leads Chile.

Emiliano Martinez (GK), Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi (C), Lisandro Martinez, Rodrigo de Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Nicolas Gonzalez

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Why is Lionel Messi not playing in Argentina vs Chile FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match?

Lionel Messi will not be part of the Argentina squad that will take on Chile in the FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifiers on Friday at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The last time Argentina and Chile faced each other was in the Copa America 2024 group stage, where Lionel Messi and Co. secured a 1-0 win, thanks to an 88th-minute winner from Lautaro Martinez.

Played - 96

Argentina - 63

Chile - 8

Draws - 25

Gabriel Arias (GK), Mauricio Isla (C), Paulo Diaz, Thomas Galdames, Matias Catalan, Marcelino Nunez, Rodrigo Echeverria, Felipe Loyola, Dario Osorio, Eduardo Vargas, Victor Davila 

World Cup and Copa America holder Argentina will take on Chile in the FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifiers on Friday at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Argentina is currently top of the qualifying table standings with 15 points after winning five of the six matches it has played so far. Chile on the other hand are struggling in the eighth position with just one win in its six games (two draws and three losses).

The top six teams from the group after all the qualifying matches will gain direct qualification to the World Cup finals to be held in USA, Mexico and Canada, while the seventh-placed team will compete in the inter-confederation play-off.

Talisman Lionel Messi will not be available to play in the match after he was left out of the 28-man squad following an ankle injury sustained during last month’s Copa America final in the United States.

River Plate goalkeeper Franco Armani was also left out of the squad, as was striker Angel Di Maria, who announced his retirement from the national team after the Copa America.

Coach Lionel Scaloni named midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and striker Valentin Castellanos for the first time, along with young players with few international caps, including Alejandro Garnacho, Valentin Carboni, Valentin Barco and Matias Soule

The Argentina vs Chile FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying match will not be available for telecast in India.

You can follow Sportstar’s live blog of the game for updates.

The Argentina vs Chile FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifying match will kick off at 5:30 AM IST on September 6, Friday at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.