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Neymar nets 50th goal as Brazil dump Argentina

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Neymar scored his 50th international goal as Brazil thrashed arch-rivals Argentina 3-0 in their 2018 World Cup qualifying duel in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil’s fifth consecutive victory under new coach Tite kept them on top of South America’s qualification table.

Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho also scored as the Brazilians made a triumphant return to the Estadio Mineiro, scene of their 7-1 2014 World Cup semi-final humiliation against Germany.

Brazil now head the 10-team round-robin competition with 24 points from 11 games. In contrast, Argentina, who have taken just two points from their last four games, now languish in sixth place overall, one spot outside the qualifying positions for the finals in Russia.

Brazil powered into a 2-0 lead in the first half after two wonderfully worked goals from Coutinho and Neymar.

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Argentina had started brightly, with Lionel Messi drawing a foul from Fernandinho in the opening minutes which earned the Manchester City midfielder a yellow card.

The Argentines created the first chance of the evening when Lucas Biglia’s venomous shot from outside the area was well saved by Brazil goalkeeper Alisson on 23 minutes.
After weathering the early pressure, Brazil began to probe more effectively and on 25 minutes took the lead through Coutinho.

It got better on the stroke of half-time when Neymar completed his half-century of international goals on a set-up by teenage star Gabriel Jesus. Paulinho made it 3-0 after the break.

Neymar — still only 24 — is now closing in on Romario’s mark of 55 goals and is firmly on track to surpass Pele’s record haul of 77 goals in 91 games.

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