Incredible frustration for Miguel Almiron | OneFootball

An incredibly frustrating Thursday for Miguel Almiron.

Newcastle United’s last home game saw a cruel 2-1 defeat to Liverpool with Miguel Almiron seeing Alisson pull off a world class save from what looked an unstoppable volley, then a brilliant run from the halfway line saw the Paraguayan end it by bursting into the box and his curling shot leaving the visiting keeper with no chance, only for the woodwork to save the scousers.

Moving forward to this latest appearance for the Newcastle star, it was arguably even more frustrating, as Paraguay failed to win their opening World Cup qualifier.

A packed home crowd at the Estadio Antonio Aranda in the city of Ciudad del Este watched on as Paraguay absolutely battered Peru.

The away side didn’t have a single effort on target.

The visitors also having to play the entire second half a man down, after Advincula picked up a red card just before the break.

Paraguay totally dominating and hitting the woodwork four times, as well as the visiting keeper playing the game of his career and the Peru goal leading a charmed life.

Miguel Almiron having a great second half chance, when cutting in from the right and playing a trademark one-two, he found himself with only the keeper to beat, only to give him a chance of saving it with his body.

The visitors hit the woodwork themselves in the second half with a long range effort but that would have been just too cruel, if Paraguay had ended up with nothing.

As always a very long qualifying process for the World Cup in South America, with one group of ten countries and Thursday the first of 18 matches for Miguel Almiron and Paraguay.

A missed opportunity against one of the weaker teams and as you can see from these highlights, it should have been not just a win but a significant boost to their goal difference.

Paraguay and Miguel Almiron are away against Venezuela on Tuesday.

This qualifying process is massive for the Newcastle United winger, as it surely is Miggy’s final chance of playing in a World Cup finals.

By the time the 2026 finals come about in Mexico, Canada and the USA, Miguel Almiron will be aged 32, so very unlikely he would be in contention for when the 2030 finals come around.

Newcastle United players heading around the globe to play for their countries in September 2023:

Wednesday 6 September

England Under 19s v Germany Under 19s (Lewis Miley) Friendly – To be played on Costa Brava

Thursday 7 September

Paraguay 0 Peru 0

Incredibly frustrating for Miguel Almiron, as Paraguay drew their first World Cup qualifier. Absolutely battering Peru who didn’t have a single effort on target and the visitors having to play the entire second half a man down, after Advincula picked up a red card just before the break.

Paraguay hitting the woodwork four times, the visiting keeper playing the game of his career and the Peru goal leading a charmed life.

Friday 8 September

Cyprus v Scotland (***Elliot Anderson has now withdrawn from the Scotland squad after picking up an unspecified injury) Euros Qualifier

Slovakia v Portugal (Martin Dubravka) Euros Qualifier

Saturday 9 September

Ukraine v England (Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier) Euros Qualifier – To be played in Poland

Estonia v Sweden (Alexander Isak) Euros Qualifier

Kosovo v Switzerland (Fabian Schar) Euros Qualifier

North Macedonia v Italy (Sandro Tonali) Euros Qualifier

Brazil v Bolivia (Joelinton and Bruno) World Cup Qualifier

England Under 19s v Switzerland Under 19s (Lewis Miley) Friendly – To be played on Costa Brava

Monday 11 September

Slovakia v Liechtenstein (Martin Dubravka) Euros Qualifier

Tuesday 12 September

Scotland v England (Elliot Anderson, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier) Friendly (***Elliot Anderson has now withdrawn from the Scotland squad after picking up an unspecified injury)

Venezuela v Paraguay (Miguel Almiron) World Cup qualifier

Sweden v Austria (Alexander Isak) Euros Qualifier

Switzerland v Andorra (Fabian Schar) Euros Qualifier