Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez found themselves at the center of a bad-tempered clash as Argentina got the better of Uruguay in World Cup qualifying.
The Liverpool pair both started for their respective countries, with Mac Allister claiming bragging rights as Argentina won 1-0 in Montevideo. The victory leaves the defending world champion on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with just a point needed from their remaining five games to book their place at next year’s tournament.
Thiago Almada’s superb strike was enough to secure the three points for Argentina, despite Lionel Messi being missing through injury. Liverpool fans will have been keen to see Julian Alvarez in action, with the Atletico Madrid star being linked with a move to Anfield in the summer.
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The game didn’t pass by without some controversy though, with Argentina finishing it with 10 men after Nicolas Gonzalez saw red during the dying stages after catching Nahitan Nandez in the face with a high boot, having only come on as a substitute during the second half.
Tempers flared earlier on in the game though, and it was a challenge on Liverpool striker Nunez that saw both sides clash before the break.
Cuti Romero’s challenge on Nunez left the Reds’ star in a heap on the floor, with Uruguay’s players clearly unhappy. As they began to argue with Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister rushed in to defend his teammates, pushing Mathias Olivera as the situation threatened to get ugly.
Fortunately, Mac Allister escaped without any punishment, while Nunez was okay to continue the game, although he couldn’t inspire Uruguay to a victory to boost his country’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
They are still well-placed to do so though, and a win over Bolivia on Tuesday would put them on the verge of reaching the tournament. Argentina, meanwhile, faces Brazil next needing just a point to qualify, although even a defeat would see them through if Uruguay beats Bolivia.
Liverpool.com says: You wouldn’t really expect anything else than some bad tempers from a game between Uruguay and Argentina. If anything, this seems like quite a subdued clash by their standards.
Still, it’s good to see Mac Allister and Nunez coming through the game unscathed and having not landed themselves in any trouble. Hopefully they can do the same from their next games during the week.
