ARGENTINA dressing ROOM celebration after qualify for QATAR WORLD CUP #Argentina #QatarWorldCup2022

Argentina secured a place in next year's World Cup in Qatar after drawing 0-0 at home with Brazil in a tense and end-to-end game on Tuesday. Competition-leading Brazil had already secured the first of South America's four direct entries to Qatar 2022. The fifth-place team goes into an intercontinental playoff for a spot in Qatar. Brazil has 35 points, six ahead of Argentina. Both teams have completed 13 games, one fewer than scheduled, because their encounter in September was suspended after seven minutes when Brazilian officials belatedly enforced COVID-19 restrictions. FIFA is yet to decide what to do with that match. Ecuador has 23 points and is well established in the third position. And then, except for last-place Venezuela, there's a crush of candidates to qualify. Colombia and Peru have 17 points and Chile is sixth with 16 points, narrowly ahead of Uruguay on goal difference. Bolivia is surprisingly competitive, with 15 points in the eighth position. Paraguay can't be ruled out with 13 points. Few opportunities were available for Argentina and Brazil in a tense match marked by Messi's low-key performance and Neymar's absence due to injury. Goalkeepers Emiliano Martinez and Alisson were just about spectators for most of the match. Messi, who played the entire match after recovering from a knee injury, said he felt well on the pitch. He played for only 15 minutes in Argentina's 1-0 win over Uruguay last week so he could recover to face Brazil.