Uruguay Plays Argentina to 0-0 Draw in World Cup 2018 Qualifying

A 0-0 draw between Uruguay and Argentina on Thursday night put both teams one step closer to qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.  

While Argentina dominated possession, legitimate scoring opportunities were limited for each side in Estadio Centenario in Uruguay.

With both squads coming off disappointing losses in their last qualifying matches, including a stretch of three straight losses for Uruguay, this is a respectable result to get back on track.

With Colombia earning a draw against Venezuela and Chile losing to Paraguay, Uruguay sits in third place with 24 points, while Argentina remains in fifth at 23 points.

Brazil's upcoming matchup against Ecuador could also be big for both teams as they try to clinch a top-four spot in the table. The fifth-place team also has a chance to qualify through a playoff, and only five points separate second and seventh place.

While the one point works for Uruguay, there are major questions about their best player, as Luis Suarez was forced to leave with a knee injury in the 83rd minute. AS English described the issue:

He had been cleared to return from the injury earlier on Thursday. 

As for the match itself, there was a lot left to be desired, with only five shots on goal despite the offensive talent on the pitch.

The competition started slowly, with neither side producing many scoring opportunities in the first 45 minutes. 

Daniel Edwards of Goal.com described the early action:

Argentina held the ball for most of the action, but they weren't able to turn that into many legitimate chances in the final third.

The closest either team got to a goal was this flurry by Uruguay in the 37th minute:

The second half wasn't much better, with this free-kick by Lionel Messi being the most dramatic moment of play:

As the match continued, the two sides only got more conservative as they seemingly realized one point was better than zero.

Roy Nemer of Mundo Albiceleste broke down the lack of scoring:

Argentina controlled possession for 80 percent of the match, but it didn't help La Albiceleste come away with a goal.

There are just three matches remaining in CONMEBOL qualifying for each team, with the next set of games scheduled for Tuesday. Uruguay has a challenging matchup on the road against Paraguay, while Argentina will hope for three points at home against Venezuela.

Note: All match statistics courtesy of ESPN FC.