Edgardo Bauza Sacked as Argentina Manager After World Cup Qualifying Struggles

Argentina have sacked national team manager Edgardo Bauza following the team's struggles in CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Claudio Tapa, the president of the Argentine Football Federation, confirmed the decision in a statement on Monday evening. 

"Bauza is no longer the coach of the national team," he told journalists, per ESPN FC.

The Albiceleste sit in fifth place in the standings, outside of the automatic qualifying spots and with a two-point lead over Ecuador in the race for a play-off ticket. The team have lost three of their last five qualifiers, including their 2-0 defeat in La Paz against Bolivia.

Per sports writer Roy Nemer, rumours Bauza had been sacked surfaced shortly after the defeat, and the Argentinian federation has now made the move official.

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Bauza took control of the team in August 2016, replacing Gerardo Martino, who had just guided the team to the Copa America Centenario final. It was the team's third straight second-placed finish in a major tournament following the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America.

The 59-year-old Bauza was asked to push the team over the edge after a strong spell with San Lorenzo and a short stint with Sao Paulo. With San Lorenzo, he guided the squad to their first-ever Copa Libertadores triumph.

But after a win over Uruguay in the first 2018 World Cup qualifier, Argentina went four matches without victory, and the side have been trailing in CONMEBOL qualifying the rest of the way.

With Barcelona star Lionel Messi serving a four-match suspension, the Albiceleste are in real danger of missing out on the World Cup. Nemer doesn't like their chances without the prolific forward:

The clash against Bolivia was the first without Messi, and it did not end well for the team. Argentina still have bags of attacking talent, and the federation has decided to act before it's too late, handing the side to a different manager who can field a winning XI without the Blaugrana star.

According to ESPN FC's Hernan Castillo, Jorge Sampaoli of Sevilla is the favourite to replace Bauza.