Argentina 0-0 Brazil: Hosts made to wait to secure World Cup qualification as Lionel Messi can’t inspire victory over old rivals in feisty clash in San Juan
- Bitter rivals Argentina and Brazil played out a goalless draw on Tuesday evening
- Argentina trail their rivals by six points, with Brazil having qualified for Qatar
- Lionel Messi and Co just need one more point to secure their spot at World Cup
- Latest World Cup news, including live action and results
Argentina and Brazil played out a goalless stalemate in their fiesty World Cup qualifying match, leaving the hosts needing just a point to book their spot in next winter’s showpiece.
There were fireworks at the full-time whistle but none on the pitch leaving the hosts and fans frustrated with chances few and far between.
The famous rivals both occupy the top two spots in the World Cup group, with Brazil enjoying a six-point cushion going into the game.
Argentina and Brazil put on a fiesty goalless stalemate on Tuesday in their World Cup qualifier
This fixture was sensationally abandoned in September after just six minutes when Brazilian governement officials stormed the pitch to remove Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero as well as Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez after they were deemed to broken quarantine rules and falsifying documents to enter the country illegally.
But with no government health officials in sight this time round, the game got underway undisturbed and it had it’s usual Superclasico feel to it.
It was the typical fiesty affair you’d expect from these South American giants, with both sets of players refusing to go easy on one another as the rash challengers flew in.
Vinicius Junior came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half but he scuffed his chance
The Real Madrid winger has his head in his hands after spurning a glorious opportunity
Brazil midfielder Fred (not pictured) came closest next, hitting the bar with a dipping effort
Vinicius came close to scoring again, but his shot was comfortably saved by Martinez
Leeds winger Raphinha found himself on the end of a nasty Nicolas Otamendi elbow, causing him to bleed from the mouth in the first half while the pitchside medics gave him a big bit of tissue to bite to stop the blood from flowing.
But when it came to scoring, it was Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior who spurned the first real chance of the game, after he was played through one on one with Emi Martinez but his audacious scoop-effort over the Argentinian goalkeeper went horribly wide.
As the tackles continued to fly in and bookings became more frequent, both sides continued to struggle to get away any meaningful chances at the start of the second half.
Nicolas Otamendi elbows Leeds winger Raphinha (left) in the mouth during a tussle
Otamendi tries to hurry the Brazilian to his feet, who begins to heavily bleed from the mouth
Raphinha shows off the damage sustained in his coming together with Otamendi
Messi confronts referee Andres Cunha over a crunching tackle during the game
Fred came closest to breaking the deadlock next, with his dipping effort from the top of the box striking the crossbar and then over Martinez’s net.
Vinicius Junior was given another chance at goal, after being found out wide by Matheus Cunha but the winger could only smash his shot down the throat of Martinez, who comfortably saved.
The two sides cancelled each other out and the chances dried up as the clock ticked down in San Juan, as both sides looked for that all important breakthrough – and last-gasp winner.
But it never came.
Messi tried his best to break the deadlock with a powerful shot from the top of the box, with his shot veering up at the last moment leaving Alisson to scramble the ball away and deny the Argentinian talisman.
Messi (right) and Brazil’s Matheus Cunha battle for the ball during a fiesty affair in Argentina
Cristian Romero (left) goes up for a header with Eder Militao during the first half of the game
Messi was kept quiet throughout large parts of the game where he was heavily marked
The Argentina stars hold up a banner in support of team-mate Sergio Aguero before the game
Scroll down to re-live the action as it happened with Sportsmail
Without talisman Neymar, Brazil face an Argentina side on their own turf – who have yet to taste defeat in the last 26 matches.
Argentina come into this game on the back of a 1-0 win over Oscar Tabarez’s Uruguay, and now have Lionel Messi back fit and raring to go – much to the objection of Paris Saint-Germain.
Brazil have already qualified for the Qatar World Cup yet Argentina have ground to make up, and currently trail their bitter rivals by six points in the table.
Follow Sportsmail’s DANNY GALLAGHER for live World Cup qualifier coverage of Argentina vs Brazil, including build-up, team news and updates.