Xtra Time Web Desk: Argentina registered a hard fought 1-0 win over Peru in the Latin American leg of FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers on Thursday night. The win helped Argentina remain in second position behind Brazil. Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the game two minutes before the break with a powerful header while Yoshimar Yotun missed a second half penalty for Peru.
Argentina stretched its unbeaten run to 25 matches. The Albiceleste last lost in the 2019 Copa America semi-finals — 2-0 against Brazil. Since then the South American giants have been unstoppable, beating Brazil twice on their run, including earlier this year in the 2021 Copa America final.
Argentina took the lead two minutes before half-time as Lautaro Martinez sent a bullet header from Nahuel Molina’s cross straight over goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s head.
Peru came close to scoring the equalizer 20 minutes into the second half after Jefferson Farfan was brought down inside the box by Emiliano Martinez. But Yotun’s wild penalty clipped the top of the bar to give Martinez a huge let-off.