Nightmare for Joelinton in Buenos Aires | OneFootball

Joelinton making his first start for Brazil since June 2023.

The Newcastle United midfielder having arrived as a first half sub at the weekend to help give his national side an important 2-1 victory over Colombia.

That win put Brazil very close to World Cup qualification with five group games remaining.

How better to all but seal it against their biggest rivals, Argentina.

When the two countries met in the home World Cup group qualifier in November 2023, Joelinton came off the bench and got a ridiculously harsh red card as Brazil lost 1-0.

Ahead of the game, Barcelona’s Raphinha was shouting his mouth off, saying Brazil would beat Argentina for sure.

Those words rammed back down Raphinha’s throat after only four minutes, as Alvarez gave the home side the lead.

Fernandez then made it 2-0 only eight minutes later, before Cunha took advantage of a defensive mistake to pull it back to 2-1 on 26 minutes.

However, that would be the one and only shot on target from Brazil all night, with Mac Allister (37 mins) and Simeone (71 mins) then completing the misery.

Joelinton no better or worse than his teammates, but one of three Brazil players subbed off at half-time with his side 3-1 down, the reality is that the changes made things even worse if possible.

The end of match stats summed this Buenos Aires nightmare up for Brazil:

Argentina total shots 12 v 3 for Brazil

7 v 1 shots on target

6 v 0 on corners

The only thing Brazil matched Argentina on, was five yellow cards each, with surprisingly Joelinton not amongst the ten who were booked.

Bruno Guimaraes sat this one out due to a one match suspension and the silver lining for Newcastle United fans is that with Joelinton only playing a half before those ‘tactical’ substitutions, the NUFC Brazilian pair are now heading back to Tyneside seemingly injury free and not having played too much international football ahead of facing Brentford next Wednesday.

Another silver lining, at least for our two Brazilian internationals, is that despite defeat to Argentina, Brazil are still on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The top six automatically qualify (the seventh goes into a play-off) and with four games left to play, this is how the South American World Cup qualifying table now looks on Wednesday (26 March 2025) morning:

This is the March 2025 international schedule for Newcastle United players:

Thursday 20 March

Italy 1 Germany 2

Sandro Tonali man of the match for Italy in this Nations League play-off first leg.

Scored a very well taken ninth minute goal and ran the show for Italy, creating great chances for teammates that were wasted. Germany fighting back though to win it with two second-half goals.

Greece 0 Scotland 1

Odysseas Vlachodimos dropped to the bench, presumably due to getting no football with Newcastle United. Scotland scoring with one of only two shots on target to get a surprise win in the first leg of this Nations League play-off, McTominay from the penalty spot.

Slovakia 0 Slovenia 0

A great display from Martin Dubravka with some fine saves, to help keep Slovakia on level terms in the first leg of this Nations League play-off.

Brazil 2 Colombia 1

Bruno Guimaraes started and Joelinton replaced an injured Gerson on 28 minutes. A massive win in this World Cup group qualifier, Brazil now second in the South American qualifying group and now looking all but certain to be in those 2026 finals. A sixth minute penalty from Raphinha was equalised by Diaz just before half-time, Vinicius Junior with a dramatic late deflected winning in the ninth minute of added time.

Friday 21 March

England 2 Albania 0

A cool finish on his debut by Lewis-Skelly in the 20th minute gave England the lead, then Harry Kane confirmed the win with his latest international goal on 77 minutes. Dan Burn can be happy with his contribution overall and it could have been so much better if his header from a first half corner had hit the back of the net instead of the crossbar. Injury concerns though for Anthony Gordon who came on in the 74th minute for Rashford but left the pitch at the end with a potential hip injury. Tino Livramento an unused sub in this World Cup group qualifier.

Saturday 22 March

Luxembourg 1 Sweden 0

A friendly that Alexander Isak and Sweden were second best in, as Korac gave the home side a 23rd minute lead. The Newcastle United striker seeing a number of efforts blocked and/or saved, before subbed off on 61 minutes. Defeat in Luxembourg coming six days after that stunning victory at Wembley. Funny old game.

Sunday 23 March

Germany 3 Italy 3

Sandro Tonali maybe feeling the effects of a third huge game in the space of a week, as his energy levels not quite there maybe. He didn’t have a bad game but he and his teammates found themselves three down at half-time, with some appalling defending going on behind Sandro Tonali at the back. An astonishing turn around saw Italy dominate after the break and pull three goals back, however, this Nations League play-off ending 5-4 on aggregate to Germany. Tonali having been subbed off in the 68th minute when Italy were 3-1 down.

Scotland 0 Greece 3

Odysseas Vlachodimos watching from the bench once again, as Greece fully deserved their victory. Scotland losing this Nations League play-off 3-1 on aggregate.

Slovenia 1 Slovakia 0 (AET)

Martin Dubravka followed up Thursday’s clean sheet with another one in normal time against Slovenia. The Newcastle keeper with some fine saves, however, eventually conceding in extra time as Slovenia won this Nations League play-off 1-0 on aggregate.

Monday 24 March

England 3 Latvia 0

The usual dour unwatchable group qualifier for England against very weak negative opposition.

With Anthony Gordon having left the England squad through injury and Tino Livramento one of those left out of Monday night’s matchday squad, with only 23 able to be named, it was left to Dan Burn to represent Newcastle United.

As Thomas Tuchel had a look at a few different players, Burn was one of those who stepped down to the bench after starting in Friday’s win over Albania.

Burn watched the entire match from the sidelines as England eventually overcame this very limited opposition who are ranked 140th in the world. James scoring a free-kick late in the first half, then Kane and Eze with strikes after the break.

Tuesday 25 March

Sweden 5 Northern Ireland 1

Alexander Isak in brilliant form on Tuesday night at the Strawberry Arena in this friendly. A superb run and assist setting up Holm to score the opening goal after only seven minutes. Goals from Nygren and Sema then made it 3-0, before Alexander Isak with the best of the lot. An absolute screamer on 64 minutes from the Newcastle United striker giving the keeper zero chance. Forest’s Elanga then added a fifth, before a very late consolation goal from Price with a minute to go.

Argentina 4 Brazil 1

Disaster for Joelinton on Tuesday night (early hours of Wednesday morning in UK time). Making his first start for Brazil since June 2023, the Newcastle United midfielder and his international teammates had a nightmare against their massive rivals Argentina. Alvarez giving the home side the lead after only four minutes. Fernandez then made it 2-0 only eight minutes later, before Cunha took advantage of a defensive mistake to pull it back to 2-1 on 26 minutes. However, that would be the one and only shot on target from Brazil all night, with Mac Allister (37 mins) and Simeone (71 mins) completing the misery. Joelinton no better or worse than his teammates but one of three Brazil players subbed off at half-time with his side 3-1 down, the reality is that the changes made things even worse if possible.