Lionel Messi salvaged a vital point for Argentina as they struggled in a 1-1 draw against Paraguay in the Copa America in Belo Horizonte.
The Barcelona forward's 57th-minute penalty cancelled out a first-half opener from Paraguay's Richard Sanchez.
Argentina remain bottom of Group B with one point from two games.
"We are lucky that we are still alive in this tournament," said coach Lionel Scaloni, whose side must win Sunday's fixture against Qatar.
"Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball.
"They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at half-time that it was just one goal."
Minutes after Messi's equaliser, Paraguay were awarded a spot-kick of their own but Derlis Gonzalez's effort was punched away by Argentina keeper Franco Armani, who narrowly avoided a red card when he fouled Gonzalez outside his area at the end of the first half.
"We trust Franco. He is our starting goalkeeper. He saved a penalty and kept us alive. I'm glad he had a good performance," Scaloni said.
The draw followed their opening defeat by Colombia on Saturday. The two best third-placed teams advance to the quarter-finals, meaning Argentina will be knocked out of the tournament with anything less than a win against Asian Cup winners Qatar.
Elsewhere in Group B, Colombia clinched the top spot with six points with a 1-0 win over Qatar.
Paraguay, who were held to a 2-2 draw with Qatar in their first game, are second on two points and must beat Colombia to be guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals.
Line-ups
Argentina
- 1ArmaniBooked at 45mins
- 14Casco
- 6Pezzella
- 17OtamendiBooked at 83mins
- 3TagliaficoBooked at 80mins
- 7PereyraSubstituted forAgüeroat 45'minutes
- 5Paredes
- 20Lo Celso
- 16de PaulSubstituted forSuárezat 87'minutes
- 10Messi
- 22MartínezSubstituted forDi Maríaat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Foyth
- 4Saravia
- 8Acuña
- 9Agüero
- 11Di María
- 12Marchesín
- 13Funes Mori
- 15Pizarro
- 18Rodríguez
- 19Suárez
- 21Dybala
- 23Musso
Paraguay
- 12Fernández
- 2PirisBooked at 55mins
- 15GómezBooked at 32mins
- 13Alonso
- 18Arzamendia
- 10GonzálezSubstituted forEscobarat 90'minutes
- 6Sánchez
- 8RojasBooked at 43mins
- 20Rojas
- 23AlmirónSubstituted forOrtízat 87'minutes
- 9SantanderSubstituted forRomeroat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Silva
- 3Escobar
- 4Balbuena
- 5Valdez
- 7Cardozo
- 11Iturbe
- 14Torres
- 16Ortíz
- 17Pérez
- 19Domínguez
- 21Romero
- 22Aguilar
- Referee:
- Wilton Pereira Sampaio
- Attendance:
- 35,265
Match Stats
Home TeamArgentinaAway TeamParaguay
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away19
Live Text
Match ends, Argentina 1, Paraguay 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Argentina 1, Paraguay 1.
Foul by Milton Casco (Argentina).
Óscar Romero (Paraguay) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Argentina. Franco Armani tries a through ball, but Sergio Agüero is caught offside.
Foul by Nicolás Tagliafico (Argentina).
Óscar Romero (Paraguay) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Nicolás Tagliafico (Argentina) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Agüero.
Attempt missed. Matías Rojas (Paraguay) left footed shot from more than 40 yards on the right wing misses to the left. Assisted by Iván Piris with a headed pass.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Iván Piris (Paraguay).
Substitution
Substitution, Paraguay. Juan Escobar replaces Derlis González.
Lionel Messi salvaged a vital point for Argentina as they struggled in a 1-1 draw against Paraguay in the Copa America in Belo Horizonte.
The Barcelona forward's 57th-minute penalty cancelled out a first-half opener from Paraguay's Richard Sanchez.
Argentina remain bottom of Group B with one point from two games.
"We are lucky that we are still alive in this tournament," said coach Lionel Scaloni, whose side must win Sunday's fixture against Qatar.
"Our first half was not good, we played with desperation at times and we couldn't control the play or create attacks. We had a very clear plan but couldn't execute it as we kept losing the ball.
"They scored with their first attack and that caused us a lot of uncertainty. For a team like Argentina, which feels like it always has to win, the first blow is hard to take, but we assured the players at half-time that it was just one goal."
Minutes after Messi's equaliser, Paraguay were awarded a spot-kick of their own but Derlis Gonzalez's effort was punched away by Argentina keeper Franco Armani, who narrowly avoided a red card when he fouled Gonzalez outside his area at the end of the first half.
"We trust Franco. He is our starting goalkeeper. He saved a penalty and kept us alive. I'm glad he had a good performance," Scaloni said.
The draw followed their opening defeat by Colombia on Saturday. The two best third-placed teams advance to the quarter-finals, meaning Argentina will be knocked out of the tournament with anything less than a win against Asian Cup winners Qatar.
Elsewhere in Group B, Colombia clinched the top spot with six points with a 1-0 win over Qatar.
Paraguay, who were held to a 2-2 draw with Qatar in their first game, are second on two points and must beat Colombia to be guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals.
Line-ups
Argentina
- 1ArmaniBooked at 45mins
- 14Casco
- 6Pezzella
- 17OtamendiBooked at 83mins
- 3TagliaficoBooked at 80mins
- 7PereyraSubstituted forAgüeroat 45'minutes
- 5Paredes
- 20Lo Celso
- 16de PaulSubstituted forSuárezat 87'minutes
- 10Messi
- 22MartínezSubstituted forDi Maríaat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Foyth
- 4Saravia
- 8Acuña
- 9Agüero
- 11Di María
- 12Marchesín
- 13Funes Mori
- 15Pizarro
- 18Rodríguez
- 19Suárez
- 21Dybala
- 23Musso
Paraguay
- 12Fernández
- 2PirisBooked at 55mins
- 15GómezBooked at 32mins
- 13Alonso
- 18Arzamendia
- 10GonzálezSubstituted forEscobarat 90'minutes
- 6Sánchez
- 8RojasBooked at 43mins
- 20Rojas
- 23AlmirónSubstituted forOrtízat 87'minutes
- 9SantanderSubstituted forRomeroat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Silva
- 3Escobar
- 4Balbuena
- 5Valdez
- 7Cardozo
- 11Iturbe
- 14Torres
- 16Ortíz
- 17Pérez
- 19Domínguez
- 21Romero
- 22Aguilar
- Referee:
- Wilton Pereira Sampaio
- Attendance:
- 35,265
Match Stats
Home TeamArgentinaAway TeamParaguay
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away19
Live Text
Match ends, Argentina 1, Paraguay 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Argentina 1, Paraguay 1.
Foul by Milton Casco (Argentina).
Óscar Romero (Paraguay) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Argentina. Franco Armani tries a through ball, but Sergio Agüero is caught offside.
Foul by Nicolás Tagliafico (Argentina).
Óscar Romero (Paraguay) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Nicolás Tagliafico (Argentina) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Agüero.
Attempt missed. Matías Rojas (Paraguay) left footed shot from more than 40 yards on the right wing misses to the left. Assisted by Iván Piris with a headed pass.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Iván Piris (Paraguay).
Substitution
Substitution, Paraguay. Juan Escobar replaces Derlis González.
