Argentina qualified on Tuesday for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar thanks to the point obtained after the goalless draw with the classified Brazil and the defeat of Chile by 0-2 against Ecuador for the fourteenth day of the South American qualifiers.
The team captained by Lionel Messi knew during the second half that, as the match between Paraguay and Colombia ended in a draw, they could qualify for the World Cup if they beat Canarinha or if, with the draw against Brazil, Chile’s defeat against Ecuador would facilitate their early qualification to the World Cup.
The equality achieved in the province of San Juan in a new edition of the South American classic allowed the Canarinha to maintain the six-point advantage over the Albiceleste with four days to go before the end of the qualifiers.
Argentina, on the other hand, reached 27 matches without defeats, with 17 wins and 10 draws.
Despite the albiceleste having more possession during the first 20 minutes, the Canarinha unsettled a bit with mid-range shots that passed away from the goal.
A violent elbow from Nicolas Otamendi to Raphinha’s face in the 35th minute produced some nudges and claims, but the referee did not see the infringement, VAR did not intercede and play resumed.
The clearest of the first half was in the 40th minute, when Rodrigo De Paul received a back pass from Marcos Acuña and defined from outside the area to the second stick, forcing Alisson to have to fly over his left to stop the shot.
In the 60th minute, a mid-range shot from Fred hit the crossbar and in the 70th minute Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez saved a shot from Vinicius Junior.
Brazil faced this encounter with several casualties. Neymar, due to injury, and Casemiro, suspended, were the great absentees of the South American classic.
In the next few days, Argentina will face Chile as a visitor, Colombia and Venezuela as a home and finally Ecuador as a visitor. Brazil, for its part, will visit Ecuador, receive Paraguay and Chile and close with a visit to Bolivia.
Watch the match summary
Video via Youtube CONMEBOL
