Casemiro saves a gray Brazil
The five-time world champion sets course for the round of 16 after beating Switzerland 1-0 with a goal from the midfielder in the 83rd minute
MADRID, 28 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Brazilian team secured their presence in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar after beating a rocky Switzerland 1-0 on Monday with a lot of work, thanks to a goal by Carlos Casemiro in the final stretch of a very equalized and with few occasions.
The five-time world champion was not brilliant, but she was solid enough to take advantage of one of her few opportunities to win the three points against a rival who stood up to her and before whom she surely missed the ‘fantasy’ of a Neymar Jr who with the pass already guaranteed, he will be able to rest his battered ankle facing the crossing.
In any case, those of Tite noticed the lack of their ’10’ and up front they did not have so much spark, with the Swiss defense controlling all their attackers, the headlines and the coaches well, introducing them to break the 0-0, with Vinicius as the most insistent, but with little reward.
Tite opted for Lucas Paquetá to positionally cover the position of the PSG forward, with Fred as a novelty in the eleven along with Eder Militao, relief on the right side of the also injured Danilo to face a Switzerland where Murat Yakin was not as attacking as in the debut against Cameroon, by dispensing with Xerdan Shaqiri for Fabian Rieder in search of containing the Brazilian wings.
With more ‘reinforced concrete’, the Swiss team knew how to counteract the five-time world champion, against whom they once again demonstrated their competitive ability. Brazil was not comfortable and lacked lucidity to find its offensive trident, well controlled by the solid Swiss defense.
Despite this, the first great occasion, at the edge of half an hour, was for the ‘Verdeamarela’, born and finished by Vinicius, who first stole and then did not finish off a great shipment from Raphinha in the best possible way, although he did demand reliability to Sommer. This announcement seemed to intensify the rhythm of Tite’s men somewhat, but it was a mirage because his rival calmed down a duel again with no more chances except an unsuccessful internship by Vargas in the Brazilian area.
TITE PUTTING HIS ENTIRE ARSENAL
The second half was somewhat more hectic, but not excessively brilliant either, despite the fact that Brazil initially introduced Rodrygo Goes for Lucas Paquetá to improve in the final and decisive meters. On the other hand, the first scares came from Switzerland, with a good incorporation of the winger Widmer that Rieder was unable to solve in the best possible way, and a pressure from Embolo that almost created a serious problem for Alisson.
But from there, little more could Murat Yakin’s team peek into the Liverpool goalkeeper’s area. Switzerland also paid for the effort and the passing of minutes and spaces, and some errors gradually appeared. In one of them, Vinicius was finally able to run and beat Sommer, but the VAR annulled it due to Richarlison’s previous offside.
Tite decided to put more ‘dynamite’ and soda with Antony and Gabriel Jesús for some unfortunate Raphinha and Richarlison and although there was no great impact, Brazil ended up taking the duel. Vinicius, Rodrygo and Casemiro remembered old times and the midfielder hit the net with a pass early in the second to make the decisive 1-0. Without much offensive ‘punch’, Switzerland did not have time to react and Rodrygo had two good options to have achieved a larger victory.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: BRAZIL, 1 – SWITZERLAND, 0 (0-0, at halftime).
–LINE-UPS.
BRAZIL: Alisson; Militao, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro (Alex Telles, min.86); Casemiro, Fred (Bruno Guimaraes, min.58); Leaf (Antony, min.73), Package (Rodrygo, min.46), Vinicius; and Richarlison (Gabriel Jesus, min.73).
SWITZERLAND: Summer; Widmer (Frei, min.86), Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez; Freuler, Genealogy; Rieder (Fernandes, min.59), Horse (Aebischer, min.76), Vargas (Steffen, min.59); and Embol (Seferovic, min.76).
–GOALS.
1-0, minute 83. Casemiro.
–REFEREE: Iván Barton (SAL). He admonished Fred (min.52), for Brazil, and Rieder (min.50), for Switzerland.
–ESTADIO: Stadium 974.