Game 2: Brazil 1-1 Switzerland
Group E, Game 2: Brazil 1 Switzerland 1
Rostov, 1900, 17/06/2018
Swiss Roll Brazil Nuts
My (potentially) favourite host city of Rostov got a top game to begin its World Cup involvement. Marcello drew the longest straw and won the captain's armband for the night. Interestingly, all 22 starting players play in Europe: none in Brazil but none in Switzerland either. With no colour clash, both sides wore their proper kit.
Die Nati started well with Dzemaili shooting over. By 10m it was all Brazil. Coutinho and Neymar worked an opening for Paulinho who stuck it wide. We've seen some great free kicks at this World Cup already, but Neymar's first effort bounced tamely off the Swiss wall.
Throughout his Liverpool career, I've been sickened by the number of times Coutinho has cut in from the left and curled a beauty into the top corner: he did it against SFC often enough. On 20m he repeated the trick giving Yann Sommer no chance and putting Brazil 1-0 ahead. Then Brazil seemed to sit back.
Encouraged, the Swiss enjoyed more possession, strung passes together and got forwards without really testing Alisson. On 40m the ball was smashed into Silva's face from close range and went down like he'd been shot. He actually recovered and carried on impressively quickly. Brazil continued to let Switzerland play and must've chortled at some of the awful long balls Seferovic was obliged to chase. In 2 added minutes, Silva rose to flash a header just over the bar. HT = 1-0.
The 2nd half began like the first - Dzemaili firing wide. Soon after Casemiro was booked for kicking him. Then Shaqiri played the ball off a defender to earn a corner on the right. He took it himself and found Zuba rising among defenders and powering a header in from close range. Brazil bitched about a push but neither the ref or VAR gave a toss: 1-1 and game on.
Behrami went down on 54m and looked hurt. After a dose of the magic sponge he was able to continue. Casemiro was replaced by Fernandinho on 60m. The game had become very open and Switzerland were bravely taking the game to Brazil whenever they could. Schar was then booked for trying to swap shirts with Neymar with 25m left. Then Brazil began to push the Swiss back but Neymar's free kicks were still dreadful.
Neymar is a greedy footballer but his desire to run at defenders rather than pass earns loads of free kicks. Behrami was next to see yellow for upending him. On a 70m Brazil's Golden Boy played a fabulous pass to Coutinho who sliced it miles wide. Never saw the bastard do that at St Mary's! Brazil were still not in top gear and the Swiss looked just as likely to grab a winner. With about 10 minutes left, both centre forwards were replaced. Firmino had more impact than Embolo and fired just over the bar.
An enormous red balloon was then chucked onto the pitch and Alisson took great delight in stamping on it. On 87m a Swiss based player, Michael Lang, joined the party. A minute later Brazil should have killed the game. Willian's lovely right wing cross picked out Neymar but he headed it right at Sommer. On 90m, Neymar finally delivered a good free kick. Firmino met it but Sommer dived to push it away.
In added time, a Brazil corner found Miranda in the box but he stuck it wide. Then, in the very last minute, Neymar was fouled for the 92nd time. He chipped the ball into the box. A Swiss head rose to power it away.
And that was that. A draw here sees Serbia top Group E. Whether they have enough class to see off Switzerland on Friday I somewhat doubt. I can't see Brazil taking things quite so easy against Costa Rica either. Didn't listen to the post-match bullsh*t as I changed to BBC 1 to watch Poldark.
Rostov, 1900, 17/06/2018
Swiss Roll Brazil Nuts
My (potentially) favourite host city of Rostov got a top game to begin its World Cup involvement. Marcello drew the longest straw and won the captain's armband for the night. Interestingly, all 22 starting players play in Europe: none in Brazil but none in Switzerland either. With no colour clash, both sides wore their proper kit.
Die Nati started well with Dzemaili shooting over. By 10m it was all Brazil. Coutinho and Neymar worked an opening for Paulinho who stuck it wide. We've seen some great free kicks at this World Cup already, but Neymar's first effort bounced tamely off the Swiss wall.
Throughout his Liverpool career, I've been sickened by the number of times Coutinho has cut in from the left and curled a beauty into the top corner: he did it against SFC often enough. On 20m he repeated the trick giving Yann Sommer no chance and putting Brazil 1-0 ahead. Then Brazil seemed to sit back.
Encouraged, the Swiss enjoyed more possession, strung passes together and got forwards without really testing Alisson. On 40m the ball was smashed into Silva's face from close range and went down like he'd been shot. He actually recovered and carried on impressively quickly. Brazil continued to let Switzerland play and must've chortled at some of the awful long balls Seferovic was obliged to chase. In 2 added minutes, Silva rose to flash a header just over the bar. HT = 1-0.
The 2nd half began like the first - Dzemaili firing wide. Soon after Casemiro was booked for kicking him. Then Shaqiri played the ball off a defender to earn a corner on the right. He took it himself and found Zuba rising among defenders and powering a header in from close range. Brazil bitched about a push but neither the ref or VAR gave a toss: 1-1 and game on.
Behrami went down on 54m and looked hurt. After a dose of the magic sponge he was able to continue. Casemiro was replaced by Fernandinho on 60m. The game had become very open and Switzerland were bravely taking the game to Brazil whenever they could. Schar was then booked for trying to swap shirts with Neymar with 25m left. Then Brazil began to push the Swiss back but Neymar's free kicks were still dreadful.
Neymar is a greedy footballer but his desire to run at defenders rather than pass earns loads of free kicks. Behrami was next to see yellow for upending him. On a 70m Brazil's Golden Boy played a fabulous pass to Coutinho who sliced it miles wide. Never saw the bastard do that at St Mary's! Brazil were still not in top gear and the Swiss looked just as likely to grab a winner. With about 10 minutes left, both centre forwards were replaced. Firmino had more impact than Embolo and fired just over the bar.
An enormous red balloon was then chucked onto the pitch and Alisson took great delight in stamping on it. On 87m a Swiss based player, Michael Lang, joined the party. A minute later Brazil should have killed the game. Willian's lovely right wing cross picked out Neymar but he headed it right at Sommer. On 90m, Neymar finally delivered a good free kick. Firmino met it but Sommer dived to push it away.
In added time, a Brazil corner found Miranda in the box but he stuck it wide. Then, in the very last minute, Neymar was fouled for the 92nd time. He chipped the ball into the box. A Swiss head rose to power it away.
And that was that. A draw here sees Serbia top Group E. Whether they have enough class to see off Switzerland on Friday I somewhat doubt. I can't see Brazil taking things quite so easy against Costa Rica either. Didn't listen to the post-match bullsh*t as I changed to BBC 1 to watch Poldark.
