Brazil starts the World Cup with victory over Serbia
The number 9 of the Brazilian team (photo), Richarlison, scored twice at the Lusail Stadium, one of them with a superb swivelling volley that confirmed the victory in Group G.
Richarlison's goal-scoring skills enabled Brazil to beat Serbia 2-0, on Friday (24), at the Lusail Stadium, in their first Group G match 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.
In front of 88,103 fans (in a stadium with an official capacity for only 80,000), Brazil put on a show of soccer. However, when the match started it was clear Serbia's strategy: a high marking, pressing the Brazilian team's ball exit. It would only be an initial suffocation, which requires a lot of breath to continue throughout the match. Even so, this caused the game to lack space, both for creation and for dribbling, and there was a multiplication of fouls by the European team.
At 29 minutes Vinícius Júnior advanced to the left and crossed at half height. In the middle of the area Richarlison controlled the ball with his right hand, lifting the ball, and hit a left-footed volley to score a magnificent goal. The most beautiful goal of the Qatar Cup so far. 2-0 to Brazil!
Coach Tite began to make changes to the team, one of them causing some concern, Neymar, who took a hard kick to the right foot. However, even with the changes, Brazil continued to dominate the match, and creating opportunities, such as Casemiro's, in the 36th minute, when he took a chance from outside the area to hit the Serbian crossbar. Undoubtedly, the best performance of a national team in this World Cup after the 16 games of the first round.
Next Monday (28), in the second round of Group G, Brazil faces Switzerland starting at 1 pm (EST). Serbia and Cameroon, defeated in the first round, will seek rehabilitation on the same day, but from 7 am.