One of the great rivalries in international football kicks off tonight in Brazil as reigning world champions host an Argentina team under Lionel Scaloni who have recently adopted new beliefs and approach.
Leandro Paredes comes close for Argentina with a long-range effort, but Romero parries it away before Gabriel Martinelli misses an easy opportunity for the hosts.
1. Brazil vs. Argentina
Nicolas Otamendi’s stunning header earned Argentina an unlikely 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Brazilian rivals Brazil at Maracana Stadium on Tuesday, as both sides sought their inaugural wins of this tournament. Unfortunately, clashes in the crowd caused by tickets going missing caused delays of almost 30 minutes; that tension carried over onto the pitch with more fouls being committed than chances created.
Argentina attempted to create some danger in the second half, and were close when Lautaro Martinez attempted to shoot from over 40 yards out on Argentina’s left side, but Edson Tavares of Brazil easily saved his effort. Albiceleste had to wait their turn as their opponents held strong defensively.
Players return to the field for the final 45 minutes of this intense matchup, and things quickly heat up again. Rodrygo and Lionel Messi trade words while the Argentine coach demands immediate change of tactics from his Brazilian counterpart.
After the break, Brazil continues pushing forward and creating some clear-cut chances. Paulinho heads just wide from a corner kick and then Javier Hernandez takes an excellent shot which hits the crossbar; additionally the match was stopped for several moments after Raphinha was hit from behind and required assistance off of the pitch as his groin area experienced pain.
Long has passed since these two teams last met in major competition, but no matter. This Superclasico will undoubtedly remain on everyone’s calendar and this one should not disappoint either side’s expectation. Both sides will want a win to improve their standing in the table but Argentina could gain advantage by keeping pressure off their home team as hosts are currently second place with 9 points while visitors sit fifth with six. Argentines have won four out of nine encounters against Brazil since 2010 while both teams have seen both scores over BTTS in 11% of cases!
2. Brazil vs. Uruguay
This clash between two South American powerhouses promises to be a fiery affair. Brazil will look to end their recent disappointing results while Uruguay aims to keep momentum flowing forward and advance to the semifinals. Furthermore, this meeting marks their first encounter since 2021 when they tied 1-1 at this same tournament.
In the first half, both teams engaged in an intensely physical encounter. Each side dived headlong into tackles without regard for opposing players; early in the second half Uruguay’s defenders proved particularly active in holding off Brazil’s offensive players.
At the other end, Brazil’s defensive lapses allowed Uruguayan forwards to create numerous chances. Rodrygo failed to put in a close range shot from close range while Henrique missed an open chance with an aerial cross from the left side.
Late on in the game, Uruguay won on penalty kicks after Fernando Muslera successfully saved attempts from Neymar and Marcelo; Ederson saved Messi’s shot during a more complex third penalty kick attempt.
Brazil was unable to score on any of their remaining three penalty kicks and thus ended in a 3-3 tie.
Although this was a high-scoring tie, it produced some spectacular moments and stood as an excellent preparation for the World Cup.
Brazil lost to Argentina at home for the last time on January 28, 2019. Their poor performance before their own fans resulted in this defeat and it proved an embarrassing experience for Brazil.
Brazil and Argentina share one of the fiercest rivalries in world football, reigniting every time their teams collide. At GOAL, we explore this epic rivalry through its history – including some of its finest moments during Superclasico de las Americas matches – as well as looking at how both teams compare in terms of head-to-head records and trophies won over time.
3. Brazil vs. Germany
The main event of the day featured two heavyweights of South American football: Brazil and Argentina are both internationally-recognized nations that boast eight World Cup victories each – making them some of the most celebrated countries ever in football. Furthermore, they’re known for producing legendary players such as Diego Maradona and Pele, among many other greats – who often square off against each other for a contest that always promises drama and controversy, producing some unforgettable matches throughout history.
Last time these two sides met in competitive action, it ended in one of the most shocking defeats ever witnessed: Brazil suffered a 7-1 humiliation at Maracana to become the first team to ever lose at home during a World Cup finals tournament since Uruguay defeated them back in 1920.
Brazil were defeated for various reasons, but one key reason was their poor defensive efforts. From the first moment they took to the field, Brazil were under constant pressure, conceding goals whenever their defending was caught out of position – Thomas Muller scored Germany’s opening goal after just 37 seconds without anyone touching him close by side-footing it home from close range!
At first, this match seemed to follow a familiar script – mistakes and incompetence from Brazil allowed Germany to run amok. One example came when Luiz Gustavo and Fernandinho got caught out of position on the left-hand side, giving Sami Khedira free rein to cut inside and strike home a low shot from just outside of the area.
As a result, Brazil’s defensive woes were compounded by their struggles to penetrate German defences and create chances against such a disciplined and well-organized side; managing just 18 shots with eight on target compared to 14 attempts made by Germany.
4. Brazil vs. France
Brazilian and Argentine football teams have long been seen as two of the major powers in South American soccer, their rivalry spawning some of its finest players and sparking both pride and controversy within South American football. While World Cup tournaments often provide memorable encounters between them, both nations also face off regularly against each other across competitions and friendly fixtures.
The first incident came during the 1982 World Cup semifinal, known to many Brazilian fans as “the match of shame.” Not so much due to Argentina’s eventual 2-1 victory but due to Diego Maradona being given a red card for an illegal kick on Joao Batista. This earned Maradona his nickname of ‘Hand of God’ as opponents were seemingly vanquished with just one touch from him.
At Italia ’90, Brazil and Argentina met once more in an important final matchup that decided by Angel Di Maria from Argentina – scoring through long pass from behind Brazil’s highline and lofting it over Ederson with one touch. Though Brazil lost, their defence held well against an aggressive attack from Argentina; nine yellow cards were shown during an intense encounter.
Brazil and Argentina both enjoyed their greatest periods during the 1970s, meeting frequently to play memorable matches between them. Brazilian victory came four out of five times against Argentina while one game featured Lionel Messi scoring an unforgettable hat-trick victory for Argentina against them in 2006.
Both nations will meet again in 2026 World Cup qualifying, both teams currently leading their qualifying groups. Brazil are the obvious favourites with three titles under their belt but have struggled in recent games while France have enjoyed success under new coach Didier Deschamps, most notably scoring an impressive 2-0 win against Venezuela recently. To know more about the sports and games just follow us: sportsbyte.co.uk
