Messi, Argentina on brink of missing 2018 World Cup

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

Argentina, the runner-up to Germany three years ago in Brazil, is in sixth place in South America qualifying, with the top four teams advancing automatically to Russia 2018. The fifthplace team can advance by winning an intercontinental playoff against Oceania champion New Zealand. The Argentines next play Tuesday against Ecuador in the thin air of Quito in the Andes.

Brazil already has qualified. Uruguay, Chile and Colombia currently round out the top four.

In European qualifying, defending champion Germany clinched a return to the World Cup after beating Northern Ireland 3-1 in Belfast.

So did England, which hasn’t missed a World Cup since 1994. In London, Harry Kane secured England’s berth by scoring in stoppage time to seal a 1-0 victory over Slovenia.

England could be joined in Russia next year by neighbor Scotland, a 1-0 winner over Slovakia in Glasgow. The Scots, missing from the World Cup since 1998, will be guaranteed second place and a potential place in the playoffs if they beat Slovenia on Sunday.

At Armenia, Robert Lewandowski ‘s hat trick made him Poland’s all-time leading scorer and put his team on the verge of qualifying after winning 6-1.

The U.S., third in the North and Central American and Caribbean region, is in danger of missing the cut for a berth. The Americans need a win against Panama in Orlando on Friday followed by a win or draw Tuesday at Trinidad and Tobago, which plays at Mexico on Friday. El Tri has clinched a World Cup berth.