The Lionel Messi-led Argentina saw off their old rivals Brazil, winning 1-0 through a Gabriel Mercado goal just before the interval in front of more than 95,000 fans at the MCG in a quality friendly on Friday night.

The build-up to this game suggested it would be an event, an elaborate two hours of sporting themed theatre rather than a game with any wider significance. But can a game between these two South American powerhouses ever be a friendly affair?  

No, this wasn't a do-or-die meeting, and no-one was looking to get injured to make a point. But there was commitment and skin in the game, sufficient desire not to play second fiddle, to make it compelling. 

To  many of the 95,569 in attendance, those excited children straining to get a glimpse of some of the biggest names in world sport, it probably wouldn't have mattered whatever the motives of either side were.

 If the experience of a dark night, a crowded stadium and the magic of the big occasion turns some of them into fans of the sport, then that's a bonus.

The thousands who had forked out large sums for tickets, booked days off in advance and flown from interstate to attend would also ave found plenty to savour. 

In a world that values the experience, the spectacular and the chance to tick off another item from the sporting bucket list, it doesn't get any bigger: Brazil, five time world champions, versus Argentina, twice World Cup winners, on a cool night at a packed MCG. What, for all but the most curmudgeonly, was not to like, 

Fans began streaming in hours before the kick off, supporters bedecked in the light blue and white of Argentina, the canary and royal blue of Brazil, the primary colours dominating the pathways and parklands approaching the cathedral of Australian sport.

This time the deities to whom they were paying homage were of a different breed than the AFL stars or, occasionally, Test cricketers who normally hold pride of place at the storied venue.

Is Australia a nation of supporters or theatre goers? Its hard to know sometimes, especially when the stadium managers do their best to turn the warm up for the game into a facsimile of a rock concert.

Even as the players came out to warm up the lights in the cavernous stadium were dimmed and darkness descended. Fans with flickering lights and torch beams illuminated the gloom, punctuating the blackness with points of light in a simultaneous switch on just moments before strobing greens and blues from the sidelines bathed the pitch.

Presumably the players from both squads had been given the running order and knew to complete their warm up in time.

When the action got underway – after both sides, linking arms on either side of the centre circle, meticulously  observed a minute's silence for those recently killed in terror attacks – it certainly was willing enough with tackles and challenges flying in with gusto.

Full house: Over 95,000 fans packed into the MCG to watch Argentina and Brazil do battle. Photo: Darrian Traynor

New Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli was anxious to get his tenure under way with a strong performance, and  Angel Di Maria, played through on the left by a telling Paulo Dybala pass, almost opened the scoring for the Albicelestes early, his shot coming back off the woodwork.

The touch and combination play was as might be expected from players of this ilk, with Willian and Phillipe Coutinho for Brazil driving forward and offering a threat at every turn.

The crowd erupted when Messi had his first meaningful foray  with the ball in the 19th minute but it was Brazil who were putting the passes together, Renato Augusto firing over after a move initiated by Coutinho, then the latter denied by a Nicolas Otamendi tackle after he was played through following Willian's run.

Brazil goalkeeper Weverton had to dive to stop a Nicolas Otamendi header from Messi's free kick and then react sharply to deflect Di Maria's snapshot as Argentina lifted a cog or two as half time loomed.

Messi then linked with Dybala, but the Juventus star's shot flew wide.

However the Argentines had been threatening, and they broke the deadlock just before the interval.

A short corner was touched on by Messi to Di Maria, whose cross was met by Otamendi's header. Weverton parried the ball out, but centre back Gabriel Mercado reacted quickest to slot the ball home.

Brazil should have levelled just after the hour when Gabriel Jesus, through on an open goal, hit the woodwork, and astonishingly team-mate Willian, smashing the rebound goalwards, hit the other post.

The game ebbed and flowed, with Brazil piling on the pressure in search of a leveller that just wouldn't come.