Arsenal’s deadline day arrival, Piero Hincapié, found himself at the center of a fiery moment in Ecuador’s World Cup qualifier against Argentina after a run-in with Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
Hincapié, who joined the Gunners on an initial season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen, started at left-back and played a key role in Ecuador’s defensive resilience. His performance helped secure their fifth consecutive clean sheet in qualification, underlining why Arsenal were keen to bring him in.
The 22-year-old was solid throughout the full 90 minutes, registering three clearances, two interceptions, and two tackles. He also stood tall in the air, winning two of his three aerial duels, while splitting his four ground duels. One of those was particularly decisive: a perfectly timed challenge on Argentina’s teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono inside the penalty area, halting a dangerous attack.
That moment, however, sparked tension. Hincapié stood over Mastantuono after the tackle, a gesture that didn’t sit well with Mac Allister. The Liverpool midfielder stormed over, pointing and shouting in Hincapié’s face as the pair exchanged heated words.
The animosity carried over to the final whistle, where Hincapié was spotted attempting to explain himself to Rodrigo De Paul, only to be pushed aside by former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez as teammates stepped in to cool things down.
