Brazil 1-1 Switzerland
A second-half equaliser from Steven Zuber stopped Brazil in their tracks after Philippe Coutinho had hit a screamer to put Tite’s men in control.
Zuber’s goal was controversial, but Switzerland held on to take a share of the spoils in this Group E thriller, with goalkeeper Yann Sommer in superb form.
The Samba Boys took the field tonight at the Rostov Arena in the knowledge that their biggest rivals have so far stuttered. There has been plenty of drama and some surprises in the early World Cup 2018 results. Only France have won with some luck against Australia, while Argentina, Spain and Germany, who lost to Mexico earlier today, have all been frustrated.
The SBOBET football pundits have picked their FIFA World Cup 2018 winners, and I’ve gone for Brazil and France. And as we near the end of the first round of games, Les Bleus are the only winners. But these are early days, and we all know better than to doubt the threat of Germany, Spain and Argentina…and most of all, Brazil.
Highlights of the game
Make no mistake: this was a good side facing the tournament favourites tonight as Switzerland are ranked sixth in the world by FIFA. Coach Vladimir Petkovic had the Red Crusaders well set up and organised as always, but Brazil’s team play and individual skill were thrilling at times.
The rejuvenated Neymar was at the centre of the action and revelling in it, and he linked up with Philippe Coutinho before crossing for Paulinho, who saw his low shot turned wide by Sommer.
But the inevitable came on 20 minutes as the pressure began to tell, and it was a moment of genius from Coutinho. Neymar dribbled into the danger area and found the Barca man who fired an unstoppable beauty into the top corner from 25 yards. Classic Samba!
Brazil’s attack can thrill the fans but it can also give defenders nightmares, and the Swiss defence was on the ropes in the minutes after that goal. But they coped and came out fighting as Brazil went strangely quiet for the rest of the half, until the final moments when Thiago Silva flicked a Neymar cross over.
But Switzerland were still in the game and went right back in it on 50 minutes when Xherdan Shaqiri fired a fast corner in and midfielder Steven Zuber planted a header beyond Allison and into the net. He had shoved Miranda in the back but no VAR and the goal stood. 1-1.
That has seemed to spark Brazil, and they came out all guns blazing. Coutinho had two fierce strikes charged down before Neymar was denied from close range. As time ticked on, the Samba Boys began to look rattled. Tite brought Manchester City’s Fernandinho on to replace the booked Casemiro, and his team upped a gear.
Neymar found Coutinho with a lovely ball, but the Barca man sliced horribly wide. Gabriel Jesus broke into the box and fell under a challenge from Denis Zakaria, screaming for a penalty but to no avail. Then, Neymar had a strike from 20 years well saved by Sommer at the near post.
Tite rolled the dice again and Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino came on for Jesus. He broke clear on 81 minutes but fired his shot high and wide. And then on 87 minutes came a clear chance for Neymar when Willian found him with a superb cross, but he headed straight at Sommer. And then in the last minute of normal time, Neymar delivered a perfect cross for Firmino but Sommer again saved superbly.
Miranda then had a clear sight of goal from a corner and smashed it wide. In the dying seconds, Thiago Silva had a shot cleared off the line, and that was that.
Brazil were scintillating at times but Switzerland, just about, had the measure of them.
Key statistics
Three-time quarter-finalists, this is Switzerland’s 11th appearance at the World Cup finals. And they came into this match with just a solitary defeat in the last 22 games. Brazil have now gone 22 games with one defeat, but the Swiss are at 23!
So Petkovic’s team is to be reckoned with. Brazil won the shot count by 21 to six, but the Swiss made six crucial blocks.
What’s next?
Next for the Samba Boys is Costa Rica who were beaten by Serbia in their opener. Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas is the one player Brazil know well, but the stopper will need his team-mates to afford him plenty of protection. World Cup 2018 betting favourites Brazil should have far too much for Los Ticos.
Switzerland face Serbia, who won that game with a brilliant strike from Aleksandar Kolarov. Both teams will go into that clash confident they can make a top-two place and avoid an early trip home. It should be a belter.
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