The South American World Cup Qualifier match between Venezuela and Argentina faced a delayed start due to the poor condition of the field at Estadio Monumental de Maturín. Heavy storms had flooded the pitch, preventing the ball from moving, and as a result, the match, scheduled for 4:00 pm (local time), was delayed by 30 minutes. According to sources within the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF), the flooding was caused by severe storms. Cameras captured Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, expressing frustration, stating, “You can’t play like this.” Despite efforts by the logistics team to drain the water, the conditions drew criticism from fans, with some comparing the match to a water polo game.
Venezuela and Argentina met for the ninth round of the CONMEBOL qualifiers.
