Messi, who had been sidelined due to injury during Argentina's previous matches in September, appeared to set the stage for a win when his free-kick assisted Nicolas Otamendi's goal in the 13th minute in Maturin, Venezuela.
However, Venezuela's determined display in front of their home crowd paid off midway through the second half, as veteran striker Salomon Rondon headed in a cross from Yeferson Soteldo, equalizing the match against Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Despite the draw, the 2022 World Cup champions remain well-positioned for qualification to the 2026 finals, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams, the top six teams from South America's 10-team round-robin qualifying format will secure their spots. Argentina currently leads the standings with 19 points from nine matches, three points ahead of second-placed Colombia, who faced an unexpected 1-0 loss to Bolivia in other qualifying matches on Thursday.
While Argentina appears to be on track for a smooth qualification, Brazil is facing challenges in their campaign. Chile, sitting just above the bottom of the standings, stunned Brazil early in the match when veteran striker Eduardo Vargas scored with a looping header over Manchester City's goalkeeper Ederson, putting Chile ahead 1-0.
Brazil equalized just before halftime when Savinho created space and delivered a cross for Igor Jesus, who headed the ball into the net. The match seemed destined for a draw until the 89th minute, when Brazil substitute Luiz Henrique struck a low shot from the edge of the box, sealing a 2-1 victory. This win elevates Brazil to fourth place in the standings, with 13 points from nine games, trailing the leaders by six points.
On Thursday, Bolivia significantly enhanced their chances of making their first World Cup appearance since 1994 by securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Colombia in the high-altitude city of El Alto, located approximately 4,150 meters (13,600 feet) above sea level.
The match was decided by a brilliant individual effort from Miguel Terceros, marking Bolivia's fourth win in the qualifying rounds and propelling them into the automatic qualification spots.
Bolivia boost
Bolivia's performance has notably improved since they began hosting qualifiers in El Alto, which is slightly over 500 meters higher than their traditional home ground, the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz. This strategic shift followed a disappointing start last year, where they lost two of their first three home qualifiers in La Paz.
The decision to relocate matches has proven beneficial, as evidenced by Thursday's victory, which followed a commanding 4-0 win against Venezuela at the same venue in September.
After a surprising 2-1 victory against Chile last month, Bolivia now occupies sixth place in the South American standings, accumulating 12 points from nine matches.
Terceros scored the decisive goal in the 58th minute, showcasing his skill as the 20-year-old winger from Brazilian club Santos maneuvered past Colombian defenders Jhon Lucumi and Kevin Castano before unleashing a powerful left-footed shot that found the top corner of the net.
Bolivia is currently tied on points with Ecuador, who ended the day in fifth place after a goalless draw with Paraguay in Quito.