Brazil vs Argentina: Lionel Messi returns to hand Albiceleste 1-0 win

Catch all the highlights from the game between South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil held at the King Saud University Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

Updated : Nov 16, 2019 10:25 IST

Argentina takes on Brazil in an international football friendly in Saudi Arabia.
Argentina takes on Brazil in an international football friendly in Saudi Arabia.
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Argentina takes on Brazil in an international football friendly in Saudi Arabia.

 

That's it for today! Thanks for tuning in.

Argentina receives a trophy from the King of Saudi Arabia for winning this game against Brazil.

MATCH REPORT | Messi marks international comeback with goal in Argentina's win over Brazil

Brazil dominated the possession throughout the game but Argentina had more shots and shots on target. Alisson was the Selecao's best player on the pitch with seven saves, while Lionel Messi, who starred on international comeback, bagged the solitary winning goal for La Albiceleste.

AND THE GAME IS OVER! BRAZIL 0 - 1 ARGENTINA!!!

90+5' Lionel Messi commits a foul to slow down the play. And there is some time wasting from La Albiceleste as well. The Selecao have failed as a collective unit today.

90+2' Roberto Firmino takes the corner but the ball doesn't find any of his teammates as Argentina regains the possession in the dying minutes.

90+1' Five minutes of stoppage time to be added on! Thiago Silva sways the ball across from one end but his long pass is intercepted. Argentina concedes a corner.

89' TWO MORE CHANGES FOR ARGENTINA!!! Lucas Alario and Nicolas Dominguez come on to the pitch. Lautaro Martinez and Rodrigo De Paul are the players out.  

87' Brazil's Rodrygo tries to make a move forward but he is dispossessed in midfield as Argentina gets back the ball. Lautaro Martinez receives the ball and rushes forward. However, too many opposition players surround him as he is unable to create a clear-cut chance.

83' ANOTHER CHANGE! Guido Rodriguez comes in for Leandro Paredes. Brazil has had only a solitary shot on target tonight after 80 minutes, while Argentina has managed eight.

80' Fabinho tries to put in a long ball but he just couldn't find the space. The ball is back in to the Brazilian half as Argentina begins to press now.

77' CORNER FOR ARGENTINA!!! Lionel Messi will take it. He opts for a short corner and Brazil is able to kick the ball away on time. Marcos Acuna has been supplying the ball well since coming on. He's been inch-perfect with his passes so far.

74' BOOKING! Leandro Paredes receives a yellow card for a late foul. SUBSTITUTION! Lionel Scaloni brings in Nicolas Ivan Gonzalez for Lucas Ocampos.

72' DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION!!! Tite brings in two fresh forwards. Richarlison replaces Gabriel Jesus first and then Willian makes way for Rodrygo.

70' Messi earns a foul! He takes the resultant free-kick as well but he doesn't trouble Brazil shot-stopper Alisson much. 

69' Philippe Coutinho passes the ball to Renan Lodi on the left wing and the full back makes a good run forward. But his cross is easily collected by Argentine keeper Andrada.

67' Chance for Messi!!! He takes a decent shot from long but the opposition defence clears it away.

65' YELLOW CARD!!! Eder Militao takes out Lionel Messi with a mistimed sliding tackle. The doctors come on to the pitch to tend to Messi. The crowd goes crazy as Messi gets back into game.

64' ANOTHER BRAZIL SUBSTITUTION!!! Renan Lodi comes in for Alex Sandro at left-back.

62' YELLOW CARD!! Nicolas Tagliafico goes into the referee's book for a brutal tackle on Willian. The Brazilian is writhing in pain right now.

60' SUBSTITUTION!!! Argentina makes its first change. Lionel Scaloni brings in Marcos Acuna for Giovani Lo Celso.

57' Coutinho takes the kick but the Argentina defence clears it away pretty easily.

56' SUBSTITUTION!!! Brazil coach Tite makes his second change of the night as Fabinho comes in for Arthur, who just won the free-kick.

55' FREE-KICK!!! Lionel Messi brings down Arthur in midfield and the referee has awarded Brazil a free-kick.

52' CLOSE!!! Firmino puts in a ball to Willian who cuts in and takes a shot. But it is blocked by Nicolas Otamendi.

49' A good move forward by Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez. But they are stopped in their pursuit of finding a second goal by the Brazil defence.

46' SUBSTITUTION! A Brazil change straightaway. Philippe Coutinho replaces Lucas Pacqueta.

THE SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY!

To be honest, Brazil has dominated the game so far. However, Argentina has the lead. Gabriel Jesus had a glorious opportunity from the spot to put his side ahead within the first eight minutes of the game. But he made a mess of the penalty.

Few moments later, Argentina earned a penalty itself. Its skipper Lionel Messi stepped up to take it. Alisson saved his kick but Messi found the back of the net with the rebound to hand his side the early advantage. After the opener, Brazil has passed the ball extremely well but the end product has not been up to the mark.

The Selecao forwards have to up their ante to guide their side to victory against the Albiceleste tonight. An eventful last 45 minutes ahead. Don't go anywhere.

The first 45 minutes of the game are done and dusted!!!

45+2' GOOD CHANCE!!! Lionel Messi makes a solo run from midfield as he dribbles past a number of Brazil players. However, his final shot doesn't trouble Alisson a bit.

45' Two minutes of stoppage time to be added on at the end of the first-half.

43' YELLOW CARD!! Argentina's first of the game. Rodrigo De Paul is the player at fault as he brings down Casemiro in midfield.

41' Thiago Silva with a long ball across the field. He was trying to find Willian here. But the Argentina defence stays alert as it clears the ball away.

38' WIDE!!! This was a good team move. Casemiro's through ball was received by Gabriel Jesus who finds Danilo on the right. But instead of crossing the ball Danilo goes for glory to mess up the chance.

36' Gabriel Jesus playing for the penalty here. He's waiting to make up for his mistake early in the game. But the referee waves off the penalty claims. Firmino with hands on head. That didn't look close.

33' FREE-KICK FOR BRAZIL! Willian is the man assigned to supply the ball into the box. But he puts the ball out of the reach of his forwards. Chance wasted.

32' DRAMA AT THE OTHER END! The goal post was at Messi's mercy but a timely block from Eder Militao leads to an Argentina corner. Messi himself takes the corner. Gabriel Jesus with the header away.

30' VERY CLOSE!!!!!! Willian made a brilliant run on the left flank. He evaded a few Argentina players and found Firmino in the middle who immediately passed it to Lucas Paqueta. Paqueta's shot just missed the target. Goal kick given but that looked like a deflection of Lo Celso.

27' YELLOW CARD! Danilo puts in a silly tackle on Giovani Lo Celso to become the second Brazil player to be booked today.

25' FREE-KICK! Casemiro once again brings down an opponent. This time it's Lautaro Martinez. Free-Kick for Argentina from a dangerous position. Lionel Messi takes it. Thiago Silva heads it away to clear the danger.

22' YELLOW CARD!! Casemiro is the first player to go into the referee's book tonight. That was a rough tackle.

20' Brazil has had around 65% possession in the first 20 minutes. It has a successful pass percentage of over 90% as well. However, Argentina has the lead.

17' CORNER FOR ARGENTINA!!! The crowd is loudly chanting Messi's name. The fans in Riyadh today are well and truly behind Argentina. A short corner is worked out here but it doesn't lead to anything.

14' AND GOAL!!! Lionel Messi scores!!!!! Alisson had saved Messi's initial shot but the rebound went back to the Argentine superstar who hands his side the lead against Brazil.

12' ANOTHER PENALTY!!! THIS TIME IT'S FOR ARGENTINA! Brazil defender Alex Sandro trips Messi inside the box as the referee points straight to the spot.

10' MISSED PENALTY!!!! Gabriel Jesus makes a mess of the spot-kick. No power on the shot as it goes wide. Andrada was untroubled there.

8' PENALTY AWARDED TO BRAZIL!!!! Leandro Paredes brings down Gabriel Jesus inside the penalty box.

7' WHAT A CHANCE!! Firmino lets off a shot from the edge of the box after receiving a pass from Casemiro but Argentina keeper Andrada makes a decent save.

5' New Zealand's Mathew Conger is the referee of the game.

4' FOUL BY MESSI!! That was a silly tackle by Lionel Messi.

3' Argentina's first move into the opponent's half. Right-back Juan Foyth with a ball into the box but unfortunately no teammate of his is able to get to the ball.

2' Brazil kicked off the match and it has started well here. The team has exhibited a perfect passing game so far.

AND THE MATCH IS UNDERWAY!

Time for the national anthems.

The players are out on the field!

REMINDER: Brazil star Neymar is injured and he will miss today's game against Argentina.

ARGENTINA XI: Esteban Andrada (G), Juan Foyth, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Lucas Ocampos, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez.

COACH: Lionel Scaloni.

BRAZIL XI: Alisson (G), Danilo, Thiago Silva, Eder Militao, Alex Sandro, Casemiro, Arthur, Lucas Paqueta, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Willian.

COACH: Tite.

The line-ups are out!

LIONEL MESSI STAT: The superstar returns to play for his nation after a three-month ban. He has scored only two goals in ten matches against Brazil.

The kickoff is exactly an hour away!

Brazil doesn't have a win in four games, while Argentina is unbeaten in it last five games.

Argentina and Brazil will face off for the 111th time according to football's record books. Brazil leads the overall head-to-head with 46 wins, while Argentina has come out on top 37 times. There has been 27 draws in games featuring the two South American heavyweights.

However, at neutral venues, Argentina enjoys a slightly better record with 15 wins in 33 games. On the other hand, Brazil has 12 victories at neutral grounds and the six remaining games have ended as stalemates.

 

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