On This Day – 3rd September
Brazil and Argentina played out a friendly on this day back in 2006 at the brand new Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s new home.
The Brazilian side won convincingly 3-0 thanks to two goals from Elano and a great individual effort in the 89th minute from AC Milan forward Kaka.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi was the one player that the crowd were looking forward to seeing but he had a relatively quiet game. The teenager only had one real chance came his way in the game and he headed over in the second half.
West Ham fans would have been keen to see their new signings Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, who both started the game. Tevez had a bright game but couldn’t find the back to the net.
Elano’s two goals were his first for Brazil. He would go on and join Manchester City from Shakhtar the following summer in a deal worth £8 million. He would go on and score 9 goals for the Selecao in 50 games.
The Argentina game was the first of eight games that Brazil played at the Emirates Stadium. They would win seven of the eight games, losing the other 2-0 against Portugal in their second game at their adopted home in London.
The teams that Sunday afternoon were:
Brazil: Gomes, Cicinho (Maicon 66), Lucio, Juan, Edmilson (Cearense 69), Gilberto, Elano (Julio Baptista 73), Silva, Fred (Vagner Love 80), Robinho (Rafael Sobis 89), Daniel Carvalho (Kaka 59).
Argentina: Abbondanzieri, Coloccini, Rodriguez (Samuel 46), Zabaleta, Mascherano (Somoza 46), Riquelme, Bilos (Insua 72), Tevez (Aguero 66), Milito, Gonzalez, Messi.