Argentina 0-0 Brazil: 5 talking points as the Albiceleste confirm Qatar spot despite frustrating draw | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

#3 Vinicius steals the show with a rainbow but is wasteful with chances

Vinicius was all sizzle but no steak

Arguably the most eye-catching moment from the game came from Vinicius Junior, who pulled an incredible rainbow late on while trying to dribble past Nahuel Molina.

It was a sublime piece of skill from the Real Madrid ace, who rolled back the calendar to the 'Joga Bonito' days of yore. But it didn't eclipse his wastefulness in front of goal, having missed two epic chances in an otherwise dull game.

He first dragged his chip wide off the post despite only having the goalkeeper to beat. In the second half, the Brazilian winger took a touch too many after collecting a nice offload from Danilo.

Given the form he's produced on the club front this season, you'd expect him to put them away. But Vinicius somehow failed to replicate the cutting edge he's displayed with Real Madrid.

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#2 Argentina qualify despite draw, thanks to Chile and Uruguay defeats

Argentina benefitted from Chile and Uruguay's defeats

Argentina needed a victory in this match to confirm their place at the 2022 World Cup. However, despite the draw, they're officially through, courtesy of Uruguay and Chile defeats.

Uruguay were stunned 3-0 by Bolivia earlier in the day, their fourth consecutive loss in the qualifying campaign, which left them on 16 points in 14 games. Chile then followed suit with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Ecuador.

That left them 13 points behind Albiceleste with only four games remaining in the round. It helped the latter qualify automatically and saved them another two-month wait.

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#1 Brazil are not the same without Neymar

Neymar's absence made a world of difference for Brazil!

Neymar was conspicuous by his absence from the match as he was ruled out with an injury that saw him return to Paris even before kick-off.

Brazil thereby had their task cut out even before entering the match, and despite creating a few good chances, just didn't look like the same outfit.

Argentina had them on the ropes in the first half, their high press restricting Selecao's build-up from the back and forcing them into several back-passes.

Although their performance improved after the break, their flair was still lacking as they failed to conjure a sustained period of attacking presence.

Brazil managed only two shots on target in the match, their lowest in the entire qualifying campaign so far. It's no co-incidence that it happened when Neymar wasn't on the field.