Brazil-Argentina delayed due to fan and police clashes

Violence in the stands caused the World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Brazil to be delayed by nearly thirty minutes.

Before the scheduled 9.30 p.m. start in Rio de Janeiro, both teams had taken to the field for team pictures.

However, attention was then focused on a particular area of the Estadio do Maracana where fans, the majority of whom were Argentina supporters, were witness to police officers violently swinging batons at them.

Punches and several chairs were thrown, and many of the stadium’s innocent spectators could be seen obediently raising their hands to keep from being pulled into the horrific altercations.

Argentina supporters cheered as the game got underway, surrounded by dozens of policemen, and faced even more security on the field. Around the section with seating for approximately 3,000 fans, police gathered.

The match’s 69,000 tickets were all sold out. Before the fight started, Messi was jeered and cheered by Brazil supporters, but when he came back to the field, they chanted against him.

In an apparent attempt to defuse the situation, players from both teams approached the area of unrest; however, Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper for Argentina, was seen attempting to swat a baton out of the hand of a police officer.

After leading his team back to the locker rooms, Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi waited for more than fifteen minutes.

In the end, the game began at 9:58 p.m. local time.

Nicolas Otamendi’s excellent headed goal helped Argentina win 1-0.

While Ecuador defeated Chile 1-0 tonight, the remaining four South American matches have come to an end, with the exception of Peru and Venezuela.

Thus, with Peru ahead 1-0, the table appears as follows:

The six best teams advance. Playoffs are for the seventh-place squad. Brazil will fare well. Just not this evening.

Click here for Top Breakings…