Brazil 0-1 Argentina: summary, score, goals, highlights, 2026 World Cup qualifier
Brazil - Argentina: as it happened
A 63rd minute header from Benfica's Otamendi condemned Brazil to a third straight defeat which leaves the Seleçao languishing in sixth place in the CONMEBOL group of ten teams.
There was a stage however when it looked like the game mate not even be played as the start of the World Cup qualifier was delayed by half an hour after police clashed with fans at Maracana Stadium.
Locals and Argentinian fans started fighting during the playing of the national anthems prompting the Brazilian police to charge the visiting contingent, who responded by ripping up and throwing seats at the officers.
Fans near the trouble panicked and came onto the pitch to escape the fighting. At least one injured fan was taken from the stadium on a stretcher.
The Argentina team, led by captain Lionel Messi, went over to the terraces to try and calm the situation before leaving the pitch and returning to the dressing room.
The world champion Argentina team eventually returned once the police had corralled the travelling fans in a pen and the match between South America's fiercest footballing rivals started after a delay of about 30 minutes.
The game as a contest was instantly forgettable with the pre-match incidents leading to a tense and abrasive first half with little football played.
The game became more open in the second 45' with Brazil dominating and just when it seemed that the Seleçao were on top, Argentina delivered a sucker punch to silence the Maracanã.
That's it.
Argentina win with the Otamendi goal the difference.
Lautaro has a go from almost the half way line.
Last chance saloon now for Brazil as they win a free.
Douglas Luiz shoots but straight at Martinez and surely that's it.
We'll have six minutes of added time.
We're into the final minute of the action.
Looks like a third consecutive loss for Brazil.
Stop and start feel to the game now as Argentina do all their best to interrupt the flow of the match.
Not a great call from the Chilean referee.
Into the final five minutes of normal time.
Argentine fans making all the noise now.
Joelinton leaves the pitch and it appears that VAR will not be called upon.
Yellow clad Brazil fans start to leave the Maracana.
The Newcastle man and De Paul are involved in a tussle and De Paul gets pushed.
A yellow at best and I imagine VAR will review.
Joelinton gets a straight red
Final ten minutes of the contest.
Argentina look comfortable now and have 100% efficiency from their one effort on goal
Argentina changes
Messi and Alvarez off with Lautaro and Di Maria on
Changes for Brazil
Rodrygo and Martinelli off
Douglas Luis and Veiga on
The Argentine stopper gets a thumbs up from the doctor and we're good to go again.
Dibu needs attention and he too seems to have a groin problem.
Time running out for Brazil.
All eyes on Endrick now as the Maracana crowd goes errily quiet.
Changes for Brazil
Raphinha and Gabriel off
Endrick and Joelinton on
Lo Celso and Ezno are replaced by Paredes and Nico Gonzalez.
We're into the final 20 minutes of the contest.
The second half has been far from a classic but infinitely better than the tense and tetchy first half that we were served up.
Lo Celso with a teasing free and Raphinha tips wide.
It's the 7,000 Argentine fans making all the noise now.
Acuña makes way for Tagliafico
Much better from Argentina as Messi and Alvarez combine well.
Gabriel Jesus breaks free and instead of passing opts to go solo, the ball falls to Martinelli but the Arsenal man fires straight at the Argentine keeper.
Best chance of the game.
Approaching the hour mark and one suspects that Argentina would be more than happy to leave Rio with a 0-0 draw.
Lovely cross ball from Bruno as he finds Raphinha and it takes a decent save from Dibu Martinez.
Brazil much the brighter team now with Argentina sitting deep.
We've had more football played in the first minutes of the second half that the entirity of the first 45.
Half chance for Brazil as the ball zips across the face of the Argentine goal and Rodrygo is just unable to get a boot on the ball.
Argentina win their first corner of the game.
Lo Celso to deliver....Brazil clear and yet another corner kick.
No, decision amended, it will be a kick out.
Off we go. Argentina start the second 45 minutes.
Messi and Argentina return to the pitch.
Marquinhos has been replaced for Brazil by Nino.
Horror scenes pre game
The violent pre game scenes captured by Brazilian reporter Igor Rodrigues.
The source of the delay in the game as the Argentine team watched on from close quarters.
Shots on target in the first half:
Brazil 1-0 Argentina
Fouls in first half
Brazil 16-6 Argentina
That's it for the first half.
A glimpse of football at the end of the half but the incidents pre-game have led to a tense and tetchy 45 minutes where little football has been played.
Just 3!
We could have had at least six for the amount of time when the game was stopped.
We'll have a considerable amount of time added on.
De Paul gives the ball away cheaply and Rodrygo shoots but his effort is deflected wide.
Romero saves Argentina as Martinelli almost finds the corner.
Argentina playing a patient game as they try and weave the ball through the sea of yellow.
Messi goes to the team medics again with concern growing on his right groin.
Lo Celso clips Guimaraes and danger for Argentina with the free just outside the box.
Raphinha to take... the ball clips the wall and it's a corner for the Seleçao.
Marquinhos goes close from the corner.
Messi doesn't look comfortable and I fear that we won't see the Albiceleste captain after the break.
A little more football being played now as the rugged tackles still fly in.
Carlos Agusto carded and is the third home player in the book.
Well worked from Brazil as Emerson pulls the ball back but there is no-one in a yellow shirt on the box.
Messi is back on the pitch and seems okay to continue.
Half an hour gone and it remains goalless in Rio.
This is not what we want to see. Messi leaves the pitch and needs attention on the right groin with the Albiceleste medical team applying a heavy dose of the magic spray.
Lo Celso gets clipped by Andre and looks for a spot kick.
The ref waves away the appeal.
Scaloni's side on top in terms of possession too.
In the little football we've seen so far, Argentina are having the better.
Messi now getting booed by the home fans each time the captain is on the ball.
The pattern remains, foul after foul.
Rodrygo is on the ground and may need medical help.
The ref calls the player to get up and the game is back underway.
Argentina struggle to get the ball out from the back and ultimately win a free kick.
Neither keeper called upon with nothing to report in terms of clear cut scoring chances.
Rodrigo de Paul is at the heart of the onfield tension as he shoves a Brazil man to the ground and the Atleti player is on thin ice.
Raphinha now carded as he clips De Paul on the face. Second yellow for Brazil.
Brazil secure a corner after good work from Emerson.
Foul after foul after foul.
MacAllister shoots but fails to get the effort on target.
The ref appeals to the players for calm with the pre game incidents fanning the flames of what is by default an already intense fixture.
Messi and Rodrygo are still having some form of dispute and Marquinhos has to push the Real Madrid man away.
Messi is fired up tonight !
Blood streams from De Paul's nose as the Argentine medical team attend to the Atleti player.
Less than five minutes and we have a yellow card.
Gabriel Jesus slaps De Paul in the face.
André clashes into Messi and one feels that the Inter Miami striker is in for a rough night.
Acuña breaks and has his shot blocked.
Brazil creating problems for Argentina.
Both teams in their classic colours and already we can see tackles flying in.
The Chilean referee is going to be busy tonight !
So, almost 30 minutes later, off we go in Rio.
The players are now conducting a brief warm-up.
Good news... the Argentina team return to the pitch and it looks like finally, we will have a game.
I imagine the ref will allow a few minutes to warm up.
Not sure what's happening now as it looks as Rodrygo and Messi have an exchange and the vibes were far from good.
CONMEBOL have informed the Argentine FA that they have 15 minutes to make a decision on playing or not.
AFA delegates are now on the pitch and they greet the match officials.
Apparently the head of press from the Argentine FA went into the zone of conflict to try and mediate.
We still don´t know if the game will go ahead or not.
Still no sign of the Argentine team.
Brazil and the match officials remain on the pitch.
Messi's response seemed pretty clear though earlier as he and the rest of the Argentine team watched the trouble at close quarters.
We still don't know what is happening with the Argentine team.
The focal point of the trouble seems to have been resolved and we await a response from the Argentine team, the AFA or CONMEBOL
The match officials and Brazil team remain on the pitch as police lead a series of detained fans away from the stands.
Confusion reigns at the Maracanã with a air of uncertainty hanging over the game as the Brazil team remain on the pitch.
The riot police have formed a human cordon between the Brazil and Argentina fans now and for the first time in a while the focal point of the tension seems to have abated.
Messi leads the Albiceleste from the Maracana pitch and the whole Argentine delegation return to the dressing room.
The Argentine team are in the corner where the trouble is taking place and it looks like Argentina are set to abandon the pitch.
Meanwhile, the players and back room staff from both teams watch on in disbelief.
The players are on the pitch and the problem seems to be focused on a small area of the stadium where a group of Argentina fans are mixed in with home supporters.
At present the riot police are trying to separate both groups of fans.
This does not look good.... The local police are wielding batons and having issues with the Argentine fans.
So, how will the teams respond to defeats in matchday five.
It's Brazil vs Argentina, as big as international games get in South America.
Kick-off at the Maracana just minutes away.
We'll have the traditional pre game protocol with the plating of the respective national anthems.
CONMEBOL matchday 6
These are the latest scores in the three matchday six games already underway and as things stand, Uruguay top the standings.
Less than 20 minutes to kick-off in Rio as both teams wind down their pre-game preperation.
Brazil XI
Alisson; Emerson, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães; Carlos Augusto; André, Bruno Guimaraes; Raphinha, Rodrygo, Martinelli; and Gabriel Jesús.
Brazil temporary head coach Fernando Diniz (who also oversees Serie A club and recent Libertadores winners Fluminense) has named his side to face Argentina in Rio tonight.
Maracana Stadium / CARL DE SOUZA / AFP
7,000 Argentina fans present
A reported 7,000 Argentina fans will be packed into the Maracanã stadium tonight to see the Albiceleste in action.
Sadly there have been reported some minor disturbances between rival fans in the time leading up to kick-off.
Argentina XI
Dibu Martínez; Molina, Cuti, Otamendi, Acuña De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo, Lo Celso Messi, Julián Álvarez.
Messi captains and starts for Argentina
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Brazil-Argentina: match officials
Referee: Piero Maza (Chile)
Asst. 1: Claurio Urrutia (Chile)
Asst. 2: Miguel Rocha (Chile)
Fourth official: Felipe González (Chile)
VAR: Juan Lara (Chile)
AVAR: Edson Cisternas (Chile)
Piero Maza made his top-flight debut in Chilean league soccer in 2013, and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2018.
In addition to officiating in his native country, the 39-year-old is among the referees who have been signed up to oversee domestic games in Saudi Arabia. At the end of October, he refereed the Saudi King Cup tie between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq - drawing the ire of both men.
The last completed game between the Seleçao and Argentina on Brazilian soil was the Copa America final in 2021 when a sole Angel de Maria goal was enough to give the Albiceleste the win and secure a first major international trophy for Leo Messi.
Let's hope we get to see more football tonight than when these sides last met in Brazil at the Corinthians Arena back in September 2021 when the 2022 World Cup qualifier was abandoned just minutes after kick-off after Brazilian health officials objected to the participation of three (UK based) Argentine players they believe broke quarantine rules.
BRA-ARG head-to-head
The two South American giants have met on 104 occasions with both sides recording 39 wins a piece with 26 games ending in a draw.
Argentina too slipped up for the first time in the qualifiers as they lost to Uruguay at La Bombonera but four previous wins sees Lionel Scaloni's men regain top spot in the group ahead of matchday 6.
Brazil fell to Colombia in Baranquilla in matchday five and recorded a second consecutive loss following October's 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in Montevideo.
Can lightning strike again for the Seleçao with a third straight loss against keen rivals Argentina?
It seems an impossibility that neither Brazil or Argentina will take their places at the expanded, 48 team 2026 World Cup. Six teams from the CONMEBOL group of ten automatically advance to the co-hosted Mexico-Canada and US tournament with the seventh placed team being offered a life-line of a inter-confederation playoff.
Brazil vs Argentina: kick-off times
Kick-off for the CONMEBOL qualifier in Rio de Janeiro is at 7.30 p.m. ET / 4.30 p.m. PT.
It doesn't get any bigger in terms of international rivalry as two of South America's international powerhouses go head-to-head.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the matchday six CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifier as Brazil face Argentina.