River Plate striker Alario earns Argentina call-up

River Plate striker Lucas Alario was included among three Argentina-based players added to the Albiceleste squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay next month.

Alario, 23, has scored 22 goals in 45 appearances for the Buenos Aires club since arriving from Colon in July 2015, reports Xinhua.

On Wednesday, Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza also added uncapped Tigres midfielder Guido Pizarro, San Lorenzo's Emmanuel Mas and Estudiantes' Mariano Andujar to the preliminary squad he had announced earlier this month.

As expected, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi was absent from the list as he recovers from a torn right adductor. Atletico Madrid midfielder Augusto Fernandez will also miss the matches with a knee injury.

Argentina will travel to Lima for a clash against Peru on October 6 before hosting Paraguay in Cordoba five days later.

The Albiceleste are currently third in the South American zone qualifying standings with 15 points from eight matches, a point behind leaders Uruguay.

The top four teams at the end of the two-year qualifying campaign will book automatic berths at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The fifth-ranked side will earn a playoff spot.

Argentina squad:

Goalkeepers: Nahuel Guzman (Tigres de Mexico), Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Mariano Andujar (Estudiantes LP)

Defenders: Facundo Roncaglia (Celta Vigo), Mateo Musacchio (Villarreal CF), Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton FC), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Martin Demichelis (Espanyol), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Emmanuel Mas (San Lorenzo)

Midfielders: Matias Kranevitter (Sevilla), Javier Mascherano (FC Barcelona), Ever Banega (Inter Milan), Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolás Gaitan (Atletico Madrid), Angel Di Mariía (PSG), Guido Pizarro (Tigres)

Forwards: Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Lucas Pratto (Atletico Mineiro), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus), Lucas Alario (River Plate).

--IANS

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