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Phew! What a performance it was from the hosts in the SuperClasico! Brazil's comfortable 3-0 win over Argentina means that Tite's side now have 5 out of 5 while Argentina will now host Colombia in a must-win match on Tuesday.
Failure to win there, will leave Argentina facing a real battle to just get to the World Cup. Bauza will be under real pressure and Tuesday's game could be a do-or-die match for his Argentina managerial career
90' It is almost full time here and no one can deny that Brazil have been good value for their comfortable victory. Meanwhile, on the pitch, Messi tries to jink his way past the Brazil defence, but Marquinhos gets a block in to deny Argentina a consolation goal
88' Brazil almost make it 4 again! Neymar and Firmino cause some problems to the Argentine backline again and in the end Funes-Mori will be heaving a sigh of relief that his clearance did not bounce back off Firmino into the goal. There has been a real gulf of class here.
83' What a beautiful goal that would have been! Coutinho and Renato Augusto combine brilliantly with some delightful passes, but Firmino is somehow just short of applying the finishing touch. Looks like the spirit of Joga Bonito is back!
82' As my colleague Anirudh here is pointing out, Neymar is toying with the Argentine defence as if they are Leganes or Las Palmas
78' CHANCE! Neymar goes past the goalkeeper, but the Brazilian's touch for a change lets him down and the ball goes behind for a goal-kick. If there is a goal in the game, it looks like it will come from the hosts rather than Argentina
74' Neymar! WOW! The Brazilian is bringing out his full repertoire of tricks. He is absolutely tormenting the Argentina back-line with his skills. The home crowd can't get enough of this.
70' SAVE! Messi this time manages to work the goalkeeper Allison, but the free-kick was not struck with any great power and is saved easily by the Brazil shot stopper
69' Free-Kick in an excellent area for Argentina! Aguero makes a good run and is brought down just outside the box. It is in the perfect place for Messi. Can the Barcelona superstar deliver this time?
68' CHANCE! Coutinho picks out a wonderful pass which to Neymar who looked through on goal, but a desperate last-ditch tackle by Zabaleta sees the score remain at 3-0. Who would have thought the SuperClasico would have been so one sided
66' Could have been a red for Otamendi! The City defender goes straight through Gabriel Jesus, but the ref decides to let it go and not give a second yellow for that very poor tackle. Argentina players are loosing it here.
4 - #Brazil have scored 3+ goals against #Argentina for the 4th time in WC Qualifiers (no other side has done it so many times). Samba
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) November 11, 2016
63' Neymar is turning on the style! Some flicks, some tricks, some feints and some stepovers. The Brazil crowd is really enjoying the show while Argentina look like they want to get off the pitch as soon as possible
61' Yellow card for Otamendi now! Argentina players are looking really frustarted
Marcelo gets the ball on the left-hand flank and floats in a harmless cross. However, some poor defending from Mas sees the ball reach Gabriel Jesus who plays the ball back to Paulino who makes no mistake with the finish. What a return from international wilderness for the former Tottenham man. Brazil should have the win now. Brazil 3-0 Argentina
57' SAVE! Dani Alves's free-kick had some sting, but Romero is able to punch the effort away
56' Funes-Mori goes into the book for a poor foul on Neymar. Free-kick in a dangerous area for Brazil
55' SHOT! Argentina counter immediately and Di Maria lets fly from a tight angle, but the shot only goes into the side netting. What an end-to-end game
54' How is it not 3-0?! Some shambolic defending from Argentina sees Paulinho round the goalkeeper, but his shot is cleared off the line by Zabaleta. Paulinho definitely should have scored there
53' The addition of Sergio Aguero has certainly added an extra dimension to Argentina's attack with the Manchester City man providing some much need pace to the Albiceleste.
51' Messi's free-kick delivery from near the corner flag is extremely poor and is defended easily by Brazil. The Argentine maestro has certainly not been at his best from set-pieces
50' Yellow card for Marcelo who becomes the second player to go into the book after Fernandinho.
Interesting stat from the first half...
7-3 - In the first half, #Argentina had 60% possession, but #Brazil had the most touches in the opposition box: 7 (Argentina 3). Depth pic.twitter.com/z1k6BnmuUV
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) November 11, 2016
49' SHOT! Like I was speaking earlier, Argentina look a bit more open at the back now and Neymar's good run and inviting cross finds Gabriel Jesus who is unable to score with a first-time shot.
The second half's first real big chance.
48' The second half promises to be an exciting one. While Argentina will go all out to get something from the game, it will leave them open at the back and the front three of Neymar, Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus will be looking to exploit the space available.
46' Second half is underway with Brazil getting us started
Neymar celebrating his historic 50th international goal
Coutinho celebrating his first goal with Neymar!
Also, like I mentioned earlier, Neymar's goal was the 50th of his international career. An impressive achievement for a man so young! Just to put things into persepctive, Neymar has a better scoring rate at international level than Messi, Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Wayne Rooney and even the legendary Ronaldo Nazario
8 - With his assist for Coutinho's goal, #Neymar has had a hand in 8 total goals in his last 4 WC Qualifiers games (3 goals, 5 assists). Key
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) November 11, 2016
Two interesting stats coming about Neymar coming up...
The home crowd will be really pleased with the first half. The game started off in a cautious manner, but once Phillipe Coutinho lashed in the opener, there was some entertaining football. Just as Argentina looked like getting back into the game, Neymar's calm and collected finish with the last kick in the first half was like a hammer blow to the Albiceleste.
It looks like a long road back for Messi and Co. But, the second half promises to be exciting! Can't wait to get going again.
With the last kick of the half, Neymar scores for Brazil! Gabriel Jesus takes up the ball in a harmless position and threads the ball through to Neymar who hardly breaks stride and finishes clinically into the bottom corner. What a way to end the half for Brazil. But Argentina's defence!? Where were they? It looks like a long road back now for the Albiceleste.
42' Argentina are having more of the ball now, but what the Albiceleste seem to be lacking is pace in their line-up. While Higuain is undoubtedly an excellent striker, is it time for Aguero to replace him? Probaly Bauza will look to the Manchester City man in the second half
41' SHOT! Argentina play some wonderful football and Di Maria's intelligent pass releases the left-back Mas whose driven shot goes flying just past Allison's goal.
37' Neymar hits the Post! Some brilliant interplay between Coutinho and Neymar sees Neymar through on goal, but the Brazilian superstar's shot from a very tight angle thuds into the outside of the post and goes behind for a goal kick.
35' MESSI's free-kick straight into the wall! It was a very inviting position for Argentina's number 10, but the Brazil wall did its job and thwarted the poor effort from the Barcelona superstar
33' FOUL! Lionel Messi is fouled just outside the box by Marquinhos. A very very dangerous position to concede a free-kick. Will Messi make them pay?
29' Argentina are getting desperate. Messi dropped quite deep to collect the ball and looks to take on the Brazil team on his own, but a lose touch by the Maestro is mopped up by Marquinhos who incidentally is being preferred to his more experienced team-mate Thiago Silva.
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It has been a great pleasure covering the SuperClasico and I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. Here is your commentator Ashwin Hanagudu signing out.
For any queries or requests, you can reach out to me at [email protected]. Ciao!