In a shocking upset, Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 on Tuesday night in Rio de Janeiro. The lone goal came in the 63rd minute off a powerful header by defender Nicolas Otamendi.
The match started 30 minutes late due to fan violence outside the stadium prior to kickoff. At one point, the Argentina players even left the pitch in an apparent protest before ultimately returning to finish the game. On the field, it was a tight, tense affair with very few genuine scoring chances. Argentina didn’t even have a shot on goal until Otamendi broke through.
The goal came off a well-placed corner kick by Giovani Lo Celso. His curling ball found the head of Otamendi, who hammered it past the Brazilian goalkeeper. It was a perfectly executed set piece and gave Argentina a stunning 1-0 advantage.
Things went from bad to worse for Brazil in the 81st minute when substitute Joelinton was shown a straight red card for a bad foul. The sending off deflated Brazil, who were unable to find an equalizer. The loss extended Brazil’s winless streak to four matches. Once seemingly invincible at home in World Cup qualifying, Brazil have now shockingly lost three straight home games.
Meanwhile, rival Argentina maintained their place atop the South American qualifying table with an inspired victory against all odds.
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