Rating Messi, Mascherano and Neymar in Brazil's win over Argentina

Argentina's World Cup hopes were dealt a Brazilian blow on Thursday as a Neymar-inspired side beat them 3-0. Here's how the Barcelona players performed in Belo Horizonte.

Lionel Messi: He was at a good level, but he was isolated. Too isolated. He had just one shot on goal in open play, when the game was already decided in the second half. It came from out wide and the effort was off target. He was well marked by a wall of Brazilian players, with three solid lines in front of goalkeeper Alisson. Given that Argentina were so poor, with little creativity, Messi had to drop back to get the ball and was a long way from the Brazil goal. He had two free-kicks, too, but they weren’t great. He didn’t shine. 

Javier Mascherano: A nightmare game for Javier. He’s in all the photographs which show Brazil getting the better of Argentina. In the first goal he lost Philippe Coutinho and in the second, like the rest of the Argentine defenders, he let Neymar escape. He didn’t help in the creation in the middle of the pitch, either, losing the ball a lot, poor in his passing and giving away too many fould. It was a desperate image. 

Neymar: Caused all sorts of problems for Argentina. Brazil’s best player. Spectacularly quick, he found a lot of spaces and was dangerous every time he dribbled. He could have scored more than the one goal he did get. On several occasions Argentina resorted to kicking him as they didn’t know how to stop him. Linked well with fellow forwards Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus. Led his team, was decisive and is much more important for his country than his club. He was brilliant.