Argentina ties, faces a tough road to Cup

Argentina and Lionel Messi are on the verge of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970, stumbling to a 0-0 tie against Peru on Thursday before a capacity crowd in Buenos Aires.

Only one round of qualifying remains in South America.

Argentina, the runner-up to Germany in the World Cup three years ago in Brazil, plays on Tuesday against Ecuador in the thin air of Quito in the Andes. The Argentines are in sixth place, with the top four teams advancing automatically. The fifthplace team can advance by winning a playoff against New Zealand.

Germany and England booked places at the World Cup in Russia next year, while Poland was made to wait for qualification in Europe despite thrashing Armenia 6-1.

Defending champion Germany never looked like missing out as early goals helped it to beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Belfast, maintaining its perfect record with nine wins from nine games in Group C.

England qualified in contrasting fashion, scraping past Slovenia 1-0 thanks to Harry Kane’s injury-time strike in a poor team performance at Wembley Stadium.

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick in Yerevan, Armenia, to become Poland’s alltime highest scorer and put his team on the verge of qualification.

A draw later between Montenegro and Denmark would have meant Poland clinched Group E, but Christian Eriksen gave Denmark a 1-0 win in Podgorica to keep alive its slim hope of topping the group. Group winners qualify automatically for the finals in Russia.