Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 on Tuesday in a tense 2026 World Cup qualifying match that was delayed due to crowd unrest before the game. Argentina’s victory was sealed by a header in the 63rd minute by experienced defender Nicolas Otamendi. The world champions defeated their fierce South American rivals after losing to Uruguay the previous week. Argentina now leads the South American qualification standings with 15 points from six games following their victory at Rio’s storied Maracana Stadium.

Following their third loss in the qualifying round, Brazil, the five-time world champions, are now in sixth place with seven points from six games.

Shortly before the game began, there were arguments in the Maracana stands, and Brazilian police were observed using batons to eject an Argentine fan group from one end of the stadium.

At one point, goalkeeper Emi Martinez tried to leap into the seating area to face a Brazilian police officer with a baton. Several Argentina players approached the commotion in what appeared to be an attempt to request calm.

When the fights went on, Lionel Messi’s Argentina team went back to the locker room, with Messi seemingly saying, “We’re not playing, we’re leaving.”

Thirty minutes after the original start time, the match began immediately after the 2022 World Cup winners reappeared on the pitch, just before 10pm local time.

After barely five minutes of play, Gabriel Jesus, an Arsenal striker from Brazil, was shown a yellow card for a collision with Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina, a sign that the fervent pre-match atmosphere had carried over to the field.

Tense atmosphere

Both teams failed to create many chances to score goals in a game that was full of egregious fouls, and the hostile atmosphere persisted throughout the first half.

The Brazillian winger Raphinha was fortunate to escape a second yellow card five minutes after challenging Alexis MacAllister to a furious studs-up five minutes after he had been booked for shoving an arm in De Paul’s face in the fourteenth minute.

Up until Raphinha’s free kick was went wide for a corner in the 38th minute, Brazil was unable to muster a single shot, on or off target.

At 44 minutes, Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli curled a mistaken clearance from Argentina goalkeeper Martinez back towards goal, marking the sole shot on target for either team during the first half.

As Martinelli’s attempt approached the goal, Argentina exhaled with relief as defender Cristian Romero stopped it just short of the goal line.

After 54 minutes, Raphinha’s shot was denied by Martinez at the near post, signaling a more promising start for Brazil in the second half.

Then, following a strong run by Gabriel, Martinez once more saved Argentina, parrying Martinelli’s goal-bound attempt.

However, Argentina’s first shot on goal of the game, which gave them the lead, stunned Brazil on minute sixty-three.

The 35-year-old Otamendi sprang over Brazil midfielder Andre to head home for a 1-0 victory as Giovani Lo Celso whipped in an enticing corner from the left.

Joelinton, a replacement who had just played 12 minutes, was sent off for an off-the-ball altercation with De Paul in the 82nd minute, adding insult to injury for Brazil.

We’re not playing, and we’re heading out: The Lionel Messi

Due to altercations between rival supporters at Maracana Stadium, Tuesday’s World Cup qualifying match between Brazil and Argentina was postponed by around thirty minutes.

Kickoff of the highly anticipated blockbuster between the two dominant teams in South American football was scheduled for Wednesday at 00:30 GMT, but it was delayed owing to unrest in the stands.

Fans from Argentina were being beaten back by Brazilian police using batons at one end of the field.

Leading by captain Lionel Messi, the Argentina players left the pitch and went back to the players’ tunnel while the police battled to control the crowd unrest.

Messi and his teammates looked to remark, “We’re not playing, we’re leaving,” as they walked off the field.

Shortly before ten o’clock in the evening local time, Argentina’s players reappeared on the pitch, and the game soon began.