Call it a sweet revenge served cold and that would not be wrong as Neymar displayed some excellent performance to win the battle between his team Messi after Brazil won 3-0 in their world cup qualifying game.
Arguably two of the best players met with each hoping to lead their teams to victory but Neymar had the best laugh to avenge the 7-1 humiliation during the 2014 world cup.
Qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia remains a rocky road for Lionel Messi and his Argentina side.
Argentina went into the contest in Belo Horizonte sitting sixth in South American qualifying, outside the qualification places, with goals from Philippe Coutinho, Neymar and Paulinho making their task all the more difficult as they look to turn things around with seven matches remaining.
Their defensive frailties were on display as Brazil's tricky frontline ran the Argentine back four ragged and punished them with three superbly-taken goals, on a night where Messi was never able to stamp his mark on the contest and Gonzalo Higuain was starved of chances.
Even Sergio Aguero, called for from the bench at the interval, was unable to act as Argentina's saviour, as they remain sixth in the 10-team competition, with the top four making it to Russia automatically and the fifth-placed side having to negotiate a two-legged play-off.
For Brazil's part, victory over their fierce rivals was their fifth-straight in World Cup qualifying, which has propelled them from potential trouble into the lead of the South American section.Â
They were slick, clinical and played with passion as they secured an impressive victory which moves them eight points clear of their historic rivals.
The name of manager Tite began to reverberate around the Mineirao after Paulinho's third, symbolising the new-found confidence the former Corinthians boss has given his young team, after he replaced Dunga in the wake of their humiliating group stage exit at the Copa America in the summer.
His side face Peru on Wednesday as they bid to edge their way towards a place in Russia in two years time and, while there is certainly a way back for Argentina, they now face Colombia in a game they can't afford to lose.
The visitors were on the front foot early on and were presented with an early opportunity, but Messi could only strike his long-range free-kick low into the Brazilian wall.Â
Barcelona team-mates Neymar and Javier Mascherano, who along with Lionel Messi flew to South America aboard Neymar's private jet, came face to face early on as the pair collided in midfield, but both were fine to continue as the game struggled to come to life.Â
Messi was seeing plenty of the early possession but struggled to make anything of it, all while attracting the attention of the Brazilian defence which resulted in Fernandinho picking up the game's first booking.Â
Lucas Biglia fired a warning shot as he forced a full-length save from Alisson, but it was the hosts who soon found themselves ahead.Â
The source was Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, with the playmaker darting inside after picking up the ball from Neymar, before rifling a superbly-placed shot into Sergio Romero's top-left corner as he sent the Belo Horizonte crowd wild.
Neymar went close to doubling the advantage after skipping past Mascherano, only for Romero to make the save, while all the Argentines could manage was another Messi free-kick which harmlessly thumped against the wall.Â
With half-time approaching, the game was as good as up for the visitors as they were caught upfield and flat-footed at the back, allowing Marquinos to slip a ball through for Neymar which the Barcelona man expertly dispatched past Romero's out-stretched arm without having to break his stride.Â
Aguero was called off the bench at half-time as Argentina looked for a saviour, but it was the hosts who continued to push and Zabalata was required to clear the ball off the line to stop Paulinho from making it three.
Angel Di Maria fired into the side netting, but Brazil were straight down the other end seconds later as Dani Alves stung the hands of Romero with a free-kick from distance.
If it wasn't over at 2-0, it certainly was at 3-0 when Emmanuel Mas slipped at the far post, allowing Paulinho to prod the ball into the net past Romero, with the help of a deflection from Everton's Ramiro Funes Mori.Â
There was no way back for Argentina on the night but, with seven games still remaining they have the chance to turn things around and make it to Russia. Mail Online
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