(Video) Alexis Mac Allister confronts Darwin Nunez’s teammate as World Cup qualifier gets feisty | OneFootball

Alexis Mac Allister was among numerous players embroiled in feisty scenes as Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay turned tetchy.

The reigning world champions won 1-0 away to their neighbours courtesy of a Thiago Almada goal midway through the second half, and tempers flared shortly before the interval between the two eternal rivals.

Mac Allister embroiled in brief flashpoint

A robust challenge by Cristian Romero on Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez prompted a few Uruguayan players to confront the Tottenham Hotspur defender, and inevitably the number of people involved in the fracas increased.

As the Spurs man barged into Matias Oliveira, the Napoli left-back took umbrage and squared up to his opponent, at which point Mac Allister got involved as he pushed the 27-year-old in retaliation.

The row eventually subsided without any yellow cards being handed out and Nunez got back to his feet as the match continued following that brief flashpoint.

(Photo by Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images)

Mac Allister helps Argentina to precious victory

With the football rivalry between Uruguay and Argentina stretching back more than a century, it’s no surprise that the fixture momentarily threatened to boil over, especially with both teams chasing World Cup qualification as the South American campaign enters the business end.

Mac Allister – who this week discovered that he’ll soon become a father – played for 80 minutes in Montevideo and helped his nation to victory by winning two of his three duels, making two key passes and recording 78% pass completion (Sofascore).

Nunez was substituted with just over 20 minutes remaining but was unable to record a shot on goal and completed just nine passes, although he won three of his five duels before he went off the pitch.

When the duo reconvene at the AXA Training Centre in just over a week’s time (where Alisson Becker is already waiting for them), we imagine that the brief flashpoint last night will be recalled with good humour as they revert their focus towards trying to help Liverpool get over the line in the Premier League title race.

You can view the fracas between Uruguay and Argentina players below, taken from VIVO’s match coverage and shared via @telefe on X: