International friendlies: Argentina, Brazil emerge winners in South American football extravanganza

Paulo Dybala finally got to showcase his talent for the national team as he put up an impressive show in his side’s easy 2-0 win over Mexico in an international friendly in Cordoba on Friday.

The victory was all the more significant given the fact that it came without the team having the services of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.

The fact that this side has rebuilt itself under interim coach Lionel Scaloni from the devastating World Cup it had this year was seen on display as the team thoroughly dictated the game.

“We’re on the right path” said Scaloni after the match.

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Yet it was Mexico who could have taken an early lead but Raul Gimenez’s header found the crossbar instead of the net as a good chance went begging for the visiting side. Deservedly it was Argentina who drew first blood just before half-time when a free-kick from Dybala was headed into the net by defender Ramiro Funes Mori.

Dybala’s performance was applauded by the home fans and he almost had one to his name in the second-half but his lob missed the target by a very narrow margin.

Argentina gained further control over the game which resulted in a second goal which was slotted into the back of the net by Mexican defender Isaac Brizuela, who was put under pressure by Mauro Icardi.

Brazil earned a controversial 1-0 win over Uruguay at the Emirates Stadium in London after star forward Neymar Jr stepped up and scored from the spot in the 76th minute.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward netted his 60th international goal from a penalty which resulted after Uruguay’s Diego Laxalt brought down Danilo inside the box. The controversy arose with some Uruguayan players signalling handball in the affair.

Uruguay dominated the match up to that point with Alisson Becker coming up with some fine saves, one of them being a stop from a free-kick by Luis Suarez.

This was the fifth victory for Brazil since their quarter-final exit at the hands of Belgium in the World Cup earlier this year.

Image credit- Goal