Argentina vs Chile: Messi salute Maradona statue for dia 1st World Cup qualifier afta im death

Lionel Messi score first-half penalty for Argentina before Chile Alexis Sanchez equalise as dia World Cup qualifier end 1-1 on Thursday.

Messi convert di penalty afta Guillermo Maripan bring down Lautaro Martinez inside di box.

Chile striker Sanchez level di score for di 37th minute, afta im finish off Gary Medel cut back from.

"E be very special game because na di first match without Diego," Messi tok.

"We know wetin di national team mean to am [Diego Maradona].

"Even wen im no dey present for di stadium, im dey always support us.

"We bin want give him am victory and represent Argentina as im always do."

Di draw mean say Argentina dey unbeaten at home against Chile in 35 matches.

And now do go 12 games without defeat since dem lose to Brazil for di 2019 Copa America semi-finals.

Di match dem play for Santiago del Estero na Argentina first competitive outing since November and both teams bin look rusty.

Argentina dey second for di 10-team South America qualifying group for Qatar 2022 wit 11 points from five games.

Dem dey one point behind Brazil, wey go play Ecuador on Friday.

While Chile dey sixth, wit five points from five games.

Di top four teams go qualify automatically for Qatar while the fifth-placed side go into intercontinental playoff.

How Argentina pay tribute to Diego Maradona

Before di match, Argentina unveil statue outside di Unico Madres de Ciudades stadium for Santiago del Estero, to honour Diego Maradona.

Maradona die at di age of 60 on November. 25 for Buenos Aires afta im suffer cardiac arrest.

Di statue of Maradona, outside di stadium show am wit im hand for im waist and a ball for im feet.

Di inscription read "Diego Maradona, 1960-2020" and symbol wey represent infinity.