The 30,000 fans who filled the renovated Bloomfield Stadium a few minutes from the waters of the Mediterranean, witnessed the tie between the deadly duo of Argentina (Messi-Agüero) and that of Uruguay (Suárez and Cavani) in their last friendly before the campaign qualifying for the World Cup to be played in this region.

Friendly? Not when these two teams face each other in a field regardless of whether they are in Montevideo, Buenos Aires or Tel Aviv, who last night dressed in the colors of two of the most popular selections among Israelis and not just for tens of thousands of inhabitants of Argentine and Uruguayan origin. Not when Messi and Cavani got bitten and challenged. The expectation of one of the most media sporting events of the last decade in Israel was multiplied by the presence of the best player in the world who finally sealed the evening celebrating the goal of the tie.

A duel of contrasts. On the one hand, a clash between two historical worshipers that build their rivalry generation after generation since its first classic at the beginning of the last century. On the other, I find friends represented in the relationship between two teammates and neighbors like Messi and Suárez.

But yesterday the Uruguayan 9 was more friendly with Cavani who attended the first goal. It was 34 minutes and until then, the Argentine control was clear with quality flashes of Messi. The captain subsequently tried it with direct fouls that Campana stopped. In the resumption, however, could not do anything before the auction of Agüero after Messi center. Suarez did not like anything and in a great foul shot he put his advantage back.

Already when the game was coming to an end and to the delight of most fans, his great idol marked a penalty ending an hot Latin night in Tel Aviv.

Professor Oscar Tabarez and the novel Lionel Scaloni faced the game with the importance that compels historical rivalry and preparation for more decisive appointments. After beating Brazil with a penalty goal from Messi, Argentina jumped into the grass with representatives of the old guard such as Agüero, Otamendi and Messi. Uruguay, which arrived in Tel Aviv a day earlier after winning in Hungary with goals from Cavani and Brian Rodriguez, drew almost all of his weapons including the tireless Valverde and Sheriff Godin commanding in the area.

The game began in the middle of the afternoon when several thousand Israelis of Uruguayan and Argentine origin began paths and noisy walks to the stadium in southern Tel Aviv.

"We are happy to have organized a world-class match and we only regret that we did not have a stadium of 80,000 people since the demand has been spectacular," Comtec director Ariel Raber told EL MUNDO after the fastest online sale in the history of Israeli football.

The organization managed to convince the two teams not to cancel the appointment after a week ago Tel Aviv woke up with alarm sirens before the launch of Islamic Jihad shells from Gaza. The truce is still very fragile but it was enough for the celebration of the South American duel.

The cancellation would have returned to the hosts the ghosts of 2018 when Argentina canceled the last friendly in Jerusalem before embarking on the World Cup adventure. Then, it was mostly due to the pressure of the propaganda movement in favor of the boycott of Israel and the intervention of the president of the Palestinian Federation, Jibril Rajub. A year and a half later, Messi arrived, scored and tied with his second goal on his return to the albiceleste.

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