Argentina and Brazil draw 0-0 in heated World Cup qualifier

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Introduction

Argentina and Brazil played out a 0-0 draw in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, November 22, 2023, in a match that was delayed by 15 minutes due to fan violence in the stands. The match, which was held at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, was also marred by two red cards, one for each team, in the second half.

Fan violence

The match was supposed to kick off at 9:00 pm local time, but it was postponed by 15 minutes after a group of Argentine fans clashed with the police and threw objects at the Brazilian players as they were warming up on the pitch. The police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the unruly fans, who also damaged some seats and fences in the stadium. The situation was brought under control after the intervention of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia, who appealed to the fans to calm down and respect the rival team⁴.

Red cards

The match itself was a tense and physical affair, with both teams creating few clear chances and resorting to fouls and tackles. The referee, Wilmar Roldan from Colombia, showed 10 yellow cards and two red cards in the game. The first red card was shown to Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul in the 64th minute, after he elbowed Brazil's Casemiro in the face. The second red card was shown to Brazil's Danilo in the 77th minute, after he received his second yellow card for a foul on Argentina's Lionel Messi.

Standings

The draw meant that Brazil remained at the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2023 World Cup, with 32 points from 12 matches. Argentina stayed in second place, with 28 points from 12 matches. Both teams have already secured their places in the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in November and December 2023.