World Cup qualifiers don't get much better than Brazil vs. Argentina. The two South American heavyweights — currently No. 1 and No. 2 in the qualifying standings — will meet for the first time during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with this first showdown taking place in Sao Paulo on Sunday.
The matchup comes less than two months since Argentina beat Brazil at the Maracana for the 2021 Copa America title. It was a tense battle that finished 1-0 thanks to a goal by Angel Di Maria which gave 34-year-old Argentina captain Lionel Messi his first trophy with Argentina.
Brazil and Neymar, Messi's teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, will be looking to exact some revenge for that loss and to maintain their perfect record atop the CONMEBOL standings (7-0-0, 21 points). The only issue is that Brazil will be playing without a host of players who were prevented from traveling by their clubs in England and Russia.
Argentina don't face those same problems, given their four England-based players traveled all the same. However, reports in Brazil indicated that health authorities in the country were at one point looking to prevent them from playing for not observing the required quarantine for travelers from the United Kingdom. CONMEBOL and FIFA officials reportedly had to step in to help resolve the issue.
Brazil vs. Argentina live score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Brazil | 0 | — | — |
| Argentina | 0 | — | — |
Goals:
Brazil vs. Argentina updates and highlights
10th min.: And now Argentina is leaving the field. Crazy scenes.
8th min.: Plenty of discussions happening at the sidelines and Lionel Messi is now involved.
Cualquier cosa lo que está pasando en Brasil, gente de la Sanidad entró en pleno partido para buscar jugadores. pic.twitter.com/h8Boi9ZAHN
— Ale Liparoti 🇦🇷 (@AleLiparoti) September 5, 2021
6th min.: And the cameras turn to the sidelines where Brazilian officials look to be intervening. There were reports that health officials were seeking to force Argentina’s four England-based players to leave the match after they didn’t comply with quarantine rules. The word was that the issue was resolved, but apparently not.
Agentes da Anvisa entram em campo, interrompendo a partida. Um deles é empurrado por um jogador da Argentina, e o tempo fecha. pic.twitter.com/dqvYlza3zL
— Marcelo Baseggio (@celobaseggio) September 5, 2021
4th min.: And now it’s Argentina’s Cristian Romero with a tough tackle on Eder Militao that sends the player flying. And Neymar is not happy. Sparks are already flying.
1st min.: We’re off and we already have a player getting a talking to from the referee in the first minute!
15 seconds and Gerson sends in a foul to Lo Celso. Welcome to Brazil-Argentina 🔥
— Roberto Rojas (@RobertoRojas97) September 5, 2021
2:58 p.m.: Time for anthems:
Falta pouco! #trbrasil pic.twitter.com/aoUM52OF72
— Bruno Cassucci (@brunocassucci) September 5, 2021
2:57 p.m.: This rivalry is way too friendly when it comes to the two biggest stars:
🇦🇷🤗🇧🇷
— Diario Olé (@DiarioOle) September 5, 2021
Messi y Neymar. Rivales por 90 minutos. Amigos para toda la vida 😍 pic.twitter.com/XFtUSV6irR
2:57 p.m.: It’s been eight straight games that Brazil hasn’t given up a goal at home during qualifying:
8 - Brasil lleva ocho juegos sin recibir goles en casa en las Eliminatorias. Es la mayor secuencia de vallas invictas consecutivas como local de un equipo en la historia del torneo, junto a Peru (6V 2E entre 1969 y 1985). Impenetrable. pic.twitter.com/zt6RPR1h18
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) September 5, 2021
2:43 p.m.: Messi's already feeling it during warmups:
Pega esse golaço do Messi no aquecimento da seleção argentina. pic.twitter.com/RgLVjT8C0k
— Gustavo Hofman (@gustavohofman) September 5, 2021
How to watch: Brazil vs. Argentina
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 5
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Stream: fuboTV
The match will be available exclusively on fuboTV.
The qualifier will be held at the Arena Corinthians, also known as the Neo Química Arena, in Sao Paulo. After the match was originally greenlighted for 12,000 fans (25 percent capacity), the short turnaround to sell tickets and verify tests forced organizers to cancel ticket sales and limit attendance to just 1,500 guests.
MORE: CONMEBOL schedule & standings
Brazil vs. Argentina: Starting lineups
Brazil starting center back Marquinhos will be out due to suspension after picking up his second yellow card against Chile. His replacement at center back will be Benfica’s Lucas Verissimo, who will be making his debut.
Tite is also opting to bring in Everton Ribeiro in place of Vinicius Jr., whose speed could make for a solid attacking option off the bench. Gerson, who subbed in for Bruno Guimaraes against Chile, starts alongside Casemiro in central midfield.
Brazil starting lineup (4-2-3-1, left to right): 12-Weverton-GK — 6-Alex Sandro, 22-Lucas Verissimo, 3-Eder Militao, 2-Danilo — 18-Gerson, 5-Casemiro — 17-Lucas Paqueta, 10-Neymar, 11-Everton Ribeiro — 9-Gabriel Barbosa
Brazil subs (12): 23-Everson-GK, 1-Santos-GK, 13-Dani Alves, 16-Guilherme Arana, 14-Miranda, 4-Leo Ortiz, 15-Edenilson, 8-Bruno Guimaraes, 21-Artur, 19-Matheus Cunha, 20-Hulk, 7-Vinícius Jr
Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni gets Cristian “Cuti” Romero and Leandro Paredes back from suspension, and they’re both slotted into the starting lineup. He's also giving Gonzalo Montiel the start over right back Nahuel Molina.
Argentina starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 23-Emiliano Martinez — 8-Marcos Acuna, 13-Cristian Romero, 19-Nicolas Otamendi, 4-Gonzalo Montiel — 7-Rodrigo De Paul, 5-Leandro Paredes, 20-Giovani Lo Celso — 10-Lionel Messi, 22-Lautaro Martínez, 11-Angel Di Maria
Argentina subs (12): 12-Juan Musso-GK, 1-Geronimo Rulli-GK, 2-Juan Foyth, 3-Nicolas Tagliafico, 6-German Pezzella, 18-Guido Rodriguez, 14-Exequiel Palacios, 21-Paulo Dybala, 9-Angel Correa, 16-Joaquin Correa, 15-Nicolas Gonzalez, 17-Alejandro “Papu” Gomez