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• Scaloni 'not here to criticise' Argentina after shock Paraguay defeat

  Lionel Scaloni says he is "not here to criticise his players" after they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Paraguay in World Cup qualifying.

  Lautaro Martinez had given Argentina the lead in the 11th minute – his powerful shot past Roberto Fernandez was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR review overturned it.

  However, Paraguay were soon back on level terms. Gustavo Gomez rattled the crossbar with a diving header from a corner, but they regathered possession and pulled level with a sublime overhead kick from Antonio Sanabria 19 minutes in.

  Two minutes into the second half, the hosts completed the turnaround through Omar Alderete, who met Diego Gomez's precise free-kick to nod in from close range.

  Rodrigo De Paul arguably should have equalised for Argentina with just over 20 minutes to go, but under pressure, sliced over from close range, with the visitors unable to salvage a point.

  It was a third defeat in World Cup qualifying for the Albiceleste, who remain top of the standings with 22 points, and Scaloni chose to focus on the positives.

  "I'm not here to criticise my players; I'm here to support them," Scaloni said. "We knew it was going to be a tough match. We're here to move forward.

  "In the first half, we played a good game, but the first action at the start of the second half made everything more difficult. We have to congratulate the opponent, who defended very well.

  "I don't know if they found the antidote [to beating Argentina]. We're hoping to get back on the positive path.

  "The team always tries and stands tall. That's what's important: never giving up on the game and always having the desire to compete."

  Paraguay are sixth in the table, having extended their unbeaten run to six matches, which also includes a win over Brazil.

  They had to dig deep, having only 23.2% possession throughout the game, though they had eight shots to Argentina's nine and scored with both of their efforts on target.

  Head coach Gustavo Alfaro is yet to lose a game since taking over Paraguay after the Copa America, and he hailed his team's resilience.

  "With the rebelliousness of these players in the face of adversity, I have no doubt that we will get there. When the predisposition is so great, time is secondary," he said.

  "They were fantastic points, very difficult. It is difficult to take a point from Argentina."

• St. Lucia Olympic Committee President Alfred Emmanuel elected to Panam Sports Executive Board

  President of the St. Lucia Olympic Committee, Alfred Emmanuel, was among persons elected to the Panam Sports Executive Board at the body’s elections held on October 2 in Paraguay.

  The continental body of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected Nevin Ilic as President.

  He got 37 votes from a total of 53 votes. His challenger, Keith Joseph of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, received 16 votes.

  There were also elections for individual members from the three different groupings. In Group 2, of which Saint Lucia is a part, the two representatives elected alongside Emmanuel were Roberto Richards of Cuba and Dennis Knight of St. Kitts and Nevis.

  The representatives of Group 1 elected were: Mario Garcia de la Torre of México, Tricia Smith of Canada and Damaris Young of Panama.

  The representatives of Group 3 elected were: Nicole Hoevertsz of Aruba, Mario Moccia of Argentina and Jorge Delgado of Ecuador.

  The three Vice Presidents are: Veda Bruno Victor of Grenada - 1st Vice President, Camilo Perez of Paraguay - 2nd Vice President and Sarah Hirshland of USA - 3rd Vice President.

• Vinicius apologises to Brazil supporters after Paraguay defeat

  Vinicius Junior apologised to Brazil's supporters following their defeat to Paraguay, acknowledging "it is a difficult time" for the Selecao.

  The five-time world champions were beaten 1-0 in Asuncion, with Diego Gomez's 20th-minute strike condemning them to a fourth defeat in five qualifying games.

  Dorival Junior's side occupy fifth place in the CONMEBOL section - in which the top six nations automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with the team finishing seventh entering the Inter-confederation play-offs.

  Already eight points adrift of leaders Argentina, Brazil are now just one ahead of eighth-place Bolivia, and Vinicius knows he and his team-mates must do better.

  "We apologise to the fans, who are always on our side," the Real Madrid forward told Sportv. "But this is a difficult time, we just want to improve.

  "I know my potential, I know what I can do for the national team. Of course, it's been a very difficult process, because when you don't have confidence, you don't get goals, you don't get assists and good performances.

  "We know the situation we're in, we want to get Brazil out of this situation at any cost, we all have to go home now and start thinking about what we can do to get back to playing well.

  "We cannot come here, lose these points and play the way we did. It is a difficult time, we must take on board all the criticism and return as quickly as possible to put Brazil on top."

  Meanwhile, Marquinhos believes Brazil are going through a transitional period, and that they are not brimming with belief as a result. 

  "The coach is still figuring out the best way for us to play and that's reflected in the result," the defender told Brazilian TV Globo. "There are a lot of new players, we are lacking confidence.

  "Qualifying isn't easy, it's a difficult time, and we have to know how to manage it. It's a time of transition, we're not feeling confident. We're going to work hard, getting results on the pitch is the best answer."