Argentina lose key starter for World Cup opener | OneFootball

The World Cup is still a few months away, but the current champion already has a confirmed absence for the tournament's opening match.

Defender Nicolás Otamendi was sent off in Tuesday's (9th) qualifying match between Argentina and Ecuador.

As this is the last round of the competition, the veteran will serve a suspension in Argentina's World Cup opener, even with the Finalissima against Spain scheduled before the World Cup.

The red card was issued due to a foul committed by Otamendi, interrupting a clear goal-scoring opportunity. See the play below:

The defender was a starter for the Argentine national team throughout the 2022 World Cup-winning campaign and maintained his position during the 2026 qualifiers.

Ecuador also faced a similar issue with the expulsion of Moisés Caicedo in the second half of the same match.

The Chelsea midfielder received a second yellow card after committing a foul on Nicolás González.

The World Cup group stage draw, which will determine the opponents for Argentina and Ecuador in the opener, takes place on December 5.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 RODRIGO BUENDIA - AFP or licensors