A Lionel Messi penalty rescued a 1-1 draw for Argentina against Paraguay on Wednesday as the two-time world champions once again struggled at the Copa America.

Messi cleared in a 57th-minute spot-kick at Belo Horizonte's Mineirao Stadium to counterbalance a first-half opener from Paraguay's Richard Sanchez. 

Argentina additionally had goalkeeper Franco Armani to thank for a moment half penalty spare that kept Paraguay from taking a 2-1 lead in the Group B fight. 

The draw left Argentina with one point from two diversions and on the base of the table with one game remaining. 

Anyway with the two best third set groups progressing to the quarter-finals, Argentina can in any case achieve the last eight with an unequivocal success over Qatar in their last gathering game. 

"We need to win," Argentina mentor Lionel Scaloni said of his group's date with Qatar. "We will check out what we progressed nicely and what we didn't progress admirably and we will decide. We are fortunate that we are as yet alive in this competition," included Scaloni, singling out goalkeeper Armani for exceptional recognition. 

"We confide in Franco," Scaloni said. "He is our beginning goalkeeper. He spared a penalty and kept us alive. I'm happy he had a decent exhibition." 

The South American goliaths should raise their game anyway to propel any further after another disconnected exhibition which pursued their opening thrashing to Colombia on Saturday. 

A dull opening saw the two sides battle to produce any kind of assaulting force, with neither one of the sides figuring out how to get a shot on goal until Paraguay striker Derlis Gonzalez's exertion was diverted behind for a corner in the 29th moment. 

From the resulting setpiece, focus half Junior Alonso scooped a half-chance wide as Argentina got away.