The commencement of the FIFA World Cup qualifier featuring Brazil and Argentina saw a half-hour delay on Tuesday due to a clash among the fans in the stands at Maracana Stadium.
Disturbances erupted among locals and Argentinian supporters during the national anthem ceremony, prompting Brazilian police to intervene. The visiting contingent responded by tearing up seats and hurling them at the officers.
The chaos led to panic among spectators near the trouble, some of whom entered the pitch to escape the skirmish. Emergency personnel evacuated at least one injured fan on a stretcher.
In an effort to diffuse the situation, the Argentina team, led by captain Lionel Messi, approached the terraces before eventually leaving the pitch and returning to the dressing room.
Following the intervention of the police, who corralled the unruly fans into a designated area, the world champion Argentina team re-emerged. The highly anticipated match between South America's fiercest football rivals kicked off approximately 30 minutes later than scheduled.
Brazil, the five-time World Cup champions, aimed to rejuvenate their campaign with the support of their sold-out stadium after facing consecutive qualifying losses for the first time in their history.
(With Reuters inputs)
