World Champions Argentina edged out rivals Brazil 1-0 in an ill-tempered World Cup qualifier at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. The kick-off of was delayed by around 30 minutes on Tuesday after clashes between Brazil and Argentina supporters. The much-anticipated clash between South American football’s two superpowers was due to kick off at 9.30pm local time (00:30 GMT Wednesday) but was held up after disturbances in the stands. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez tried to jump into the seating area at one stage to confront a baton-wielding Brazilian police officer.
Selvageria no Maracana #brasil #argentina pic.twitter.com/Azz8RKE47p
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— Messi Xtra (@M30Xtra) November 22, 2023
Several Argentina players went towards the disturbances in an apparent attempt to plead for calm, before captain Lionel Messi took his teammates inside the tunnel.
« We’re not playing, we’re leaving, » Messi was heard as saying while leaving the pitch.
Messi was also involved in a verbal spat with Brazil winger Rodrygo Goes who had seemed to have labelled the Argentina players as « cowards ».
CLIMA CALIENTE: Messi y Rodrygo, cara a cara en el Maracana antes del arranque del encuentro. #EliminatoriasEnTyCSports pic.twitter.com/vV3FNGXrnJ
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Three Brazil players were booked inside the first-half, before Joelinton was shown a straight red card off for an off-the-ball clash with Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, with his team already trailing 0-1.
Argentina had take the lead in the 63rd minute after defender Nicolas Otamendi headed home from Giovani Lo Celso’s cross from a corner.
Messi later explained he had taken his team-mates off the field in the hope of cooling the atmosphere.
« We went to the locker room because it was a way to calm everything down a little. We went to see how our families and people close to us were doing. And then we came back, » said Messi after the match.
The win was Argentina’s first in a World Cup qualifier on Brazilian soil.
Meanwhile, the loss left five-time champions Brazil in sixth place with seven points from six games.
Both Brazil and Argentina came into the game on the back of defeats against Colombia (2-1) and Uruguay (2-0) respectively.
(With AFP Inputs)
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