Argentina 0-0 Brazil: scores, stats and summary | 2022 World Cup Qualifiers
There was plenty of hype coming into Tuesday night's Argentina vs. Brazil match, and as many much hyped games usually do it left a bit to be desired.
The good news for the home side is they qualified for the World Cup, despite the draw with Brazil. Argentina got the help they needed around the group to secure thier spot in Qatar next year.
There was speculation as to wheter or not Messi would play as he is still nursing a knee injury back to health, but Messi took a risk and looked mobile but a bit diluted.
Vinicius Jr. had the chance of the game in the 17th minute where he broke free past the back line and faced a 1v1 with Martinez. He looked for the flashy route as he so ofthen does, but his attempted scoop came off the wrong side of his foot and went out for a goal kick.
Alisson had a couple of scares, but nothing he couldn't handle, while Argentina were lucky to see a Fred effort go crashing off the cross bar in the second half.
In then end both teams settle for a point and both teams are off to the World Cup next year. It was essentially a given that Brazil and Argentina would be there but it's nice not to have to worry about in the last batch of qualifiers
Argentina completed more passes and had more possession, but did'nt have the easiest time creating chances.
Brazil will be happy with that draw, but that means that Argentina will have to wait another matchay to find out.
It's all over from San Jan, and Argentina and Brazil share the spois.
Last gasp effort for Alvarez and Argentina. Alisson had to deal with the short hop right infront of the goal line. For the second time this game he dealt with the danger perfectly.
Four minutes of stoppage time have been added.
Messi appears out of nowhere and laces a missle on target. It was far from comfortable for Alisson, but Brazil and Alisson live to fight another day
There are just three minutes in regulation remaining. My prediction for chances at both ends is looking awfully sticky.
Aisson doing a better job coming off the lne than he did early in the match when he ended up taking a blow to the face.
Prediction: The last 10 minutes will provide each team with at least one chance. Who will be the ones to put the first and probably last goal up on the board?
Just 10 more minutes to go from Argentina. Will there be a late winner?
Paqueta is swapped out for Gerson in the 78th
Di Maria will head to the bench after one of his more quiet nights in an Argentina shirt.
Vinicius with some tight touches in the area to wiggle into space and get a half second to put a shot on frame, but the tame effort was handled by Martinez.
Alisson makes a meal of a pass back and all most gives it up inside the small box. Brazil dodge a bullet as Martinez nearly pressured the keeper into a mistake.
The longer this match stays scoreless the more it favors Brazil. Remember they have alrady clinched a spot iat the World Cup. And the 25,000 in the San Juan Stadium. So the pressure is all on the home side.
Fred brings this party back to life with a volley that smashes off the crossbar.
Tonight's game might be down to how can make that brillinat play that breaks the match open.
Pezzella announces his presence in the game with a sliding challenge on VInicius on the counter. Pezzella knew what he was doing and that lands the sub in the refs book.
Brazil were sloppy in the back and that gave Argentina a chance to move quickly into the box but Fabinho had the intervention, not for the first time tonight.
We were hoping for a bit more of a show in the second half, but if the first 10 minutes are any indication we are in for a slow final 45 miutes.
Well, Romero gave it a shot, but deemed himself not fit to continute. Pezzella will fill in on the back line
Both Romero and De Paul a bit slow to get to their feel, both will continue despite coach Scaloni readying a sub for Romero, which was waved off by the defender.
Some of the commentators are talking about the Otamendi incident with Raphinha, and one even went as far to say it was a red card challenge.
Parades sees his shift come to and end as does Lautaro, Correa and Lisandro Martinez sub in to start the second half.
Both sides were cautiously adventurous in the first half, let's see what changes are made in the second half
Messi got a steady dose of touches, but the midfield of Brazil did a good job providing some back up to the back four
Brazil's social media team, calling it like they see it. What else would you expect from the country that live, breathes, and sleeps football
The roar of the night so far came from a cheeky touch by Di Maria slipping it right through the legs of Vinicius.
Angel's way of telling Vinicius that there were tricksters before he came along.
We are at the end of a first half that had just about everything, except goals.
Argentina with the lions share of possession and they did creat a few chances, but Vinicius Jr. had the most clear cut opportunity infront of the face of goal.
Latauro Martinez goes down in the box, a bit too cheekily for the refs liking. But on second watch Fred was not completely innocent in his challenge.
Silly chance to take in stoppage time of the first half
Alisson made a meal of the ball sent into the box, and Otamendi was lurking but that was a half chance for Argentina.
Alsson stayed down after taking a blow around the eye, but is good to go after a quick treatment sesson from the team doctor.
Parades and Paqueta stop for a face-to-face, eye-to-eye stare down at mid field, resulting in the games first bookings
Lovely ball on the set piece from Di Maria looking for Romero in the area, the center half couldn't get his head to the ball to steer it goalwards, even if he did the flag was up
Allison needed to make that save, and a difficult one at that. De Paul with a curling effort off his right foot aiming for Alisson's post. The save off the short hop could have gone anywhere but it was dealt with nicely by the Brazil number 1.
Fred with a long distance effort that won't trouble Martinez one bit. The keeper barley had to move to make the comfortable save.
Raphina has the cotton slab in his mouth trying to tame the bleeding. Maybe there was a bit more to that Otamendi challenge that caught the eye.
Brazil's back four are playing so compact, so tight especially when Messi hovers over possession at the top of the box.
Raphinha with a lovely bit of skill to skip around a couple defenders and gets only as far as the border of the area.
Otamendi got a piece of the Brazilian shielding him off, and actually drew blood from the Brazilians face. A short VAR consultaion affirms the refs decison to not make more of it than needed.
Messi goes down at the top of the box, and there might have been a hint of a hand ball by Militao, but the ref give the foul to Brazil after Messi's bump just sent the defender to the ground.
A half hour in and both teams look like they are taking turns pushing up the pitch and putting pressure on the keeper.
Di Maria with a quick restart, searching to Lautaro Martinez and Brazil conceed the corner kick
Rafinha with one of his few touches thus far sails and effort over the bar and immediately raises the apologetic hands to his teammates after a wasted effort from outside the box
So far it's Argentina in control but Brazil have been more efficient creating scoring chances
Cunha with an ambitious attempt from distance and what a first goal that would have been for his country.
Ohhhh!!! Vinicius had the first clear cut chance after slipping through the back line and fluffing a 1v1 encounter with the keeper Martinez.
He tried the scoop over the top over the keeper and it went off the side of his boot and over the endline.
De Paul swinging a dangerous looking ball into the box, but Lo Celso couldn't get a touch towards the middle of the area to create trouble for Brazil
The Argentina players are starting to chirp at Vinicius after he had been involved in a few less than impressive sequences.
Fred and Vinicius Jr. had a chance for a counter as Fred led the charge through the center of the pitch, but a stray touch from Vinicius lets a chance go begging
The high pressure seems to have ceased, at least momentarily as both teams are being allowed to work the ball around in unthreatening areas.
De Paul hasn't shyed away from a single challenge, and he may be lucky to not have found himself in the books in the opening 10 minutes.
The whistles and jeers start to ring around San Juan as Brazil work the ball around the back line.
Argentina not wasting any time getting forward as they are finding space against the high pressure of the Brazilians.
We are under way from San Juan and what an atmosphere inside this stadium for a potential World Cup qualifying match
Argentina are the favorites tonight at home against Brazil and the draw pays almost two to one odds
San Juan will be rocking
We are just 10 minutes away from kickoff from San Juan. There were mile long lines to get tickets to the 25,000 person stadium so just imagine the noise the lucky few wil bring tonight
Brazil not satisfied with qualification, they want records
Brazilian right back Danilo told reporters in a prematch conference the job isn’t done for Brazil after officially punching their name into the World Cup bracket, he say they want to best the 43 points Argentina had in the qualifiers leading up to the 2002 World Cup.
Forget about what you heard earlier, Messi is playing is Argentina's biggest qualifying match of the year
Here is Tite's starting 11 tonight against Argentina. No Neymar as he is recovering from musular discomfort
Last match marred by broken COVID protocol
The last time these two teams played was in September and the match was stopped seven minutes in when Brazilian authorities found that there were COVID-19 protocols broken by the Argentinian squad.
Brazil will be missing some star power
Brazil will be without Casemiro who is suspended for tonight’s game, and Thiago Silva will also be unavailable as Eder Militāo expected to take his place.
Brazil undefeated, Argentina without Messi
Beating Brazil won’t come east for the Copa America champions. The Seleçāo is undefeated, with 11 wins and one draw in twelve qualifiers. The task will be made even tougher considering the home side will be without Lionel Messi, who has been nursing a knee injury since before the international break.
Who's going to Qatar from South America?
Four teams from South America will earn automatic bids to the World Cup, with the fifth place team having to to play an international playoff at the conclusion of the qualifiers.
How sweet it could be for ARG
Argentina can secure their spot in the 2022 World Cup with a win over Brazil and if Uruguay, Chile and Colombia all fail to win. Argentina’s qualification to the World Cup seems a matter of when, not if but how sweet would it be for them to wrap up their place in Qatar against their most hated rival.
Tonight is about more than World Cup qualification
A win tonight would taste doubly sweet because the Argentinians can punch their ticket to Qatar with a win over Brazil if they get a little help from around the group. First things first, when these two teams meet bragging rights and pride supersede any sort of situation whether it be qualifiers or the World Cup Finals.
Brazil already making 2022 Qatar plans
Brazil is tops of the South American qualifiers with 34 points after 11 matchdays. They have already wrapped up their spot in Qatar, and it looks like Argentina will be the next teams to do so out of South America.
World Cup ticket could be punched tonight
It’s the South American Super Clasico, and a potential place in the World Cup is on the line as Argentina host Brazil in the headline fixture of this international break. AS English will be with you for all 90 minutes as we keep you up to the minute with live scores, stats, summary and analysis of tonight’s main event from San Juan, Argentina.