Last updated on December 25th, 2021 at 05:13 am
Second-place Argentina qualified after losing 2-0 to third-placed Chile at home.
After a 0-0 draw against Brazil on November 16, Argentina qualified for next year’s World Cup, giving Lionel Messi one more chance to capture the only major prize he is yet to win in his career.
Leading the way in terms of competition Brazil has already clinched the first of four direct entries for South America to Qatar in 2022.
Argentina and Brazil had few chances in a tense match defined by Messi’s underwhelming performance and Neymar’s injured absence.
Emiliano Martinez and Alisson, the goalkeepers, were mostly bystanders for the majority of the game.
Raphinha was elbowed by Nicolas Otemendi and began bleeding. During the break, the Brazilian required five sutures.
Messi, who returned from a knee injury to play the full match, claimed he felt good on the field. He only played 15 minutes in Argentina’s 1-0 triumph over Uruguay last week in order to recover for the upcoming match against Brazil.
“Playing at the pace that this match demand is not simple,” Messi said after the game.
With 35 points, Brazil leads the South American qualifications by six points over Argentina. Both teams have played 13 games.
Uruguay, the two-time World Cup champion, was defeated 3-0 by Bolivia and will conclude the year in seventh place in the 10-team round-robin play, out of contention for a berth in Qatar.
Uruguay still has four matches to play in order to qualify for the World Cup.
South America’s top four teams are guaranteed a spot in the World Cup. For a seat in Qatar next year, the fifth-place team will compete in an intercontinental playoff.
