With striker Richarlison’s eye for goals, Brazil defeated Serbia by 2-0, this Friday (24th) at Lusail Stadium, in their first game in Group G of the Qatar Cup. With this result, the Brazilian team leads the group with the same number of points as Switzerland, which has a worse goal difference.
?? A Richarlison brace sees Brazil pick up three points against Serbia@adidasfootball ?? #FIFAWorldCup
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 24, 2022
In front of 88,103 fans (in a stadium with an official capacity of only 80,000), Brazil put on a football show. However, when the match began, Serbia’s strategy became clear: to make high marks, pressing the ball out of the Brazilian team. It would just be an initial struggle, which requires a lot of stamina to continue throughout the match. Even so, this meant that the game ran out of spaces, both for creation and for dribbling and there was a multiplication of the number of fouls made by the European team.
The first best moment occurred in the 12th minute, when Neymar took a close corner and narrowly missed scoring an Olympic goal. However, goalkeeper Milinkovic, 2.02 meters tall, punched towards the line and bottom. In the 20th minute, Casemiro was free to shoot from the middle and again tried the Serbian goalkeeper, who defended in two halves.
In the 26th minute, another important move for the selection, when Vinícius Júnior was launched in the area and Milinkovic left at the feet of the Brazilian striker to muffle the move. At that point, Serbia was already all backed up, with a line of five and another of four men in front of the area. At 31 minutes, it was Neymar’s turn to cross low and Thiago Silva tried with a tackle, but Serbia was saved again by their goalkeeper.
Twelve minutes later Raphinha received it in the area and finished it, but the shot was very weak, facilitating Milinkovic’s defense. The chances, even if they weren’t so clear, were appearing. Serbia was under pressure and only went on the attack on very rare occasions. Thus, with Richarlison boxed in front and Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior having few chances, Brazil went to the locker room with a bitter 0-0 draw. under pressure the whole field.
???? Brazil & Serbia are still in search of the opening goal of the match #FIFAWorldCup ?? #Qatar2022
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 24, 2022
With a minute of the final stage, Raphinha stole the ball in the attack and had a golden chance, but kicked over Milinkovic. A move that could change the fate of the game. However, Brazil’s new posture was already visible, putting even more pressure on the Serbian defense and setting the game on fire. All that was missing was the perfect finish. In the 9th minute, Vinícius Júnior played for Neymar in the area, but the number 10 kicked it out.
However, the Brazilian really regretted the missile given by Alex Sandro in the 14th minute, in which the ball hit the foot of the Serbian goalkeeper’s crossbar.
At 17, finally, redemption! Neymar messed up the defense and played for Vinícius Júnior, who kicked cross for the goalkeeper to spread forward. Richarlison’s star began to shine then, when the Tottenham (England) striker hit the first time to make an entire country explode with happiness: 1-0! In the 21st minute, Vinícius Júnior had another clear opportunity, but slipped alone inside the penalty area.
But the best is yet to come. In the 29th minute Vinícius Júnior advanced on the left and crossed at half height. In the middle of the area Richarlison dominated from the right, lifting the ball, and volleyed it, from the left, to score a great goal. The most beautiful goal of the Qatar Cup so far. 2 to 0 for Brazil!
Still in awe ?#FIFAWorldCup ?? #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/de4VGuVBN5
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 24, 2022
Coach Tite began to make changes to the team, one of them that causes some concern, that of Neymar, who took a hard tackle on his right foot. However, even with the changes, Brazil continued to dominate the confrontation, and creating opportunities, like Casemiro’s, in the 36th minute, when he risked from outside the area to hit the crossbar of Serbia. Undoubtedly, the best performance by a team in this World Cup after the 16 games in the first round.
Next Monday (28), for the second round of Group G, Brazil will face Switzerland from 1 pm (Brasília time). Serbia and Cameroon, defeated in the first round, will seek rehabilitation on the same day, but starting at 7 am.
Datasheet:
Brazil 2 x 0 Serbia
Date: Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Place: Al Daayen (Qatar).
Judge: Alireza Faghani (Iran).
Public: 88,103.
Brazil: Alisson; Danilo, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá (Fred) and Neymar (Antony); Richarlison (Gabriel Jesus), Raphinha (Martinelli) and Vinícius Júnior (Rodrygo). Technician: Tite.
Serbia: Milinkovic; Pavlovic, Milenkovic and Veljkovic; Gudelj (Ilic), Zivkovic (Radonjic), Lukic (Lazovic) and Mladenovic (Vlahovic); Mitrovic (Maksimovic), Tadic and Savic. Coach: Dragan Stojkovic.
Goals: In the 2nd half: Richarlison (17) and Richarlison (29).
