Argentina crushed Brazil 1-0 on Tuesday in an irritable 2026 World Cup qualifying conflict damaged by pre-match swarm inconvenience that constrained start up to be deferred. A 63rd-minute header from veteran protector Nicolas Otamendi got triumph for Argentina as the title holders returned from last week’s loss to Uruguay to beat their severe South American opponents. The success at Rio’s notorious Maracana Arena leaves Argentina on top of the South American qualifying standings with 15 focuses from six games.
Brazil’s third loss of qualifying, in the mean time, leaves the five-time title holders in 6th spot with seven focuses from six games.
Emotions had raged in the stands at the Maracana minutes before start off, with Brazilian police seen utilizing cudgel to drive back a block of Argentine fans toward one side of the ground.
A few Argentina players went towards the aggravations in a clear endeavor to argue for quiet, with goalkeeper Emi Martinez endeavoring to bounce into the seating region at one phase to defy a twirly doo using Brazilian cop.
Argentina’s players drove by Lionel Messi then got back to their changing area as the conflicts proceeded, with Messi seeming to say: “We’re not playing, we’re leaving.”
The 2022 World Cup victors reappeared onto the field not long from now before 10pm nearby time and the match started off without further ado subsequently, around 30 minutes after the fact than the booked beginning time.
The febrile pre-match environment spilled onto the field when play at last started off, with Brazi’s Weapons store striker Gabriel Jesus being given a yellow card after only five minutes subsequent to conflicting with Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul.
Tense air
The strained idea of the challenge went on all through an unfortunate first half, with neither one of the sides making a lot of in the approach to goalscoring valuable open doors in a game covered with niggly fouls.
Brazil winger Raphinha was reserved in the fourteenth moment for hurling an arm into the essence of De Paul, and was fortunate not to get a second yellow five minutes after the fact in the wake of getting Alexis MacAllister with a wild studs-up challenge.
Brazil in the interim neglected to enlist a solitary shot – – either on or askew – – until a 38th-minute free-kick from Raphinha redirected wide for a corner.
The main shot on objective from one or the other side in the whole first half came on 44 minutes, when Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli lashed a blundered freedom from Argentina goalkeeper Martinez back towards objective.
Martinelli’s shot was setting out toward the net however Argentina inhaled a murmur of help after safeguard Cristian Romero obstructed the work on the line.
Brazil began the last part more decidedly, with Raphinha having a shot impeded at the close to post by Martinez following 54 minutes.
Martinez then saved Argentina once more, repelling Martinelli’s objective bound shot after a decent run by Gabriel.
In any case, Brazil were shaken after Argentina started to lead the pack on 63 minutes with their most memorable endeavor on track of the match.
Giovani Lo Celso swung in an enticing corner from the left and the 35-year-old Otamendi took off above Brazil midfielder Andre to set out home toward 1-0.
A hopeless night for Brazil deteriorated in the 82nd moment when substitute Joelinton – – who had just been on the field for 12 minutes – – was shipped off for an off-the-ball conflict with De Paul.
We Are Not Playing, We Are Leaving: Lionel Messi
The dismiss from Brazil’s Reality Cup qualifying conflict with Argentina was postponed by about 30 minutes on Tuesday after conflicts among rival allies in the Maracana Arena.
The eagerly awaited blockbuster between South American football’s two superpowers was because of start up at 9.30pm nearby time (0030 GMT Wednesday) yet was held up after aggravations in the stands.
Brazilian police should have been visible beating back Argentina fans toward one side of the ground with implement.
Argentina’s players, drove by commander Lionel Messi, left the field and got back to the players’ passage as police battled to suppress the group inconvenience.
“We’re not playing, we’re leaving,” Messi seemed to say as he left the pitch with his colleagues.
Argentina’s players reappeared onto the field presently before 10pm nearby time and the match started off minutes after the fact.
