In the match between Brazil and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America, Argentina, despite having to be a guest, defeated their arch-rival 1-0 thanks to the only goal of midfielder Nicolas Otamendi.

To find out which word can most accurately describe the South American Super Classic match, it is “violence”. Before the match took place, a riot broke out in the stands at the Maracana Stadium between fans, causing the match to be postponed for nearly 30 minutes, and it even seemed like it might have to be postponed because of escalating tensions.

And when the match took place, the developments on the field made fans who loved the king’s sport feel even more depressed. Instead of kicking the ball, Brazilian and Argentinian players switched to the “kick each other” strategy. Indeed, in the first 45 minutes, this duel was broken by a series of foul situations. The two teams seemed to only be stalking each other, forcing the referee to frequently blow the whistle.

Just like that, the first half passed without any notable opportunities, except for midfielder Cristian Romeo’s timely save for Argentina after Gabriel Martinelli’s dangerous kick. Before that, the most outstanding ball that Argentina created was Alexis Mac Allister’s long-range shot.

In the second half, the professional quality somewhat improved with more opportunities starting to appear. In the first 10 minutes, Brazil held many good shots, including Martinelli’s shot in the penalty area, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made an excellent save.

Argentina doesn’t create many opportunities, but they know how to make the most of what they have. In the 64th minute, from a corner kick on the left wing by midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, the midfielder jumped higher than the two Brazilian players and headed the ball into the roof of the home net to open the match. A goal that shows the bravery of the world champion in a big match.

Receiving a goal, Brazil tried to rise strongly. However, in the 82nd minute, the Selecao had only 10 people on the field when substitute Joelinton received a straight red card, after bad play with Rodrigo De Paul. Deadlocked and still lacking in numbers, Brazil had to give up the rest, thereby accepting a 0-1 defeat against Argentina right at home.

The important victory helped Argentina top the 2026 World Cup qualifying rankings in South America with 15 points, 2 points ahead of second team Uruguay. Meanwhile, Brazil dropped to 6th place with 7 points after 6 matches played.