Neymar-less Brazil books spot in knockout stages

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Brazil struggled without Neymar astatine the World Cup connected Tuesday greeting AEST. Still, the five-time champions played good capable to unafraid a spot successful the adjacent stage.

Brazil overcame the lack of its injured prima to bushed Switzerland 1-0 and marque it to the circular of 16 with a lucifer to spare successful Group G.

Casemiro scored successful the 83rd infinitesimal to interruption the deadlock successful a crippled successful which Brazil had difficulties creating scoring chances without its main playmaker.

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“We knew that it wasn't going to beryllium easy. We had to beryllium patient,” Casemiro said. “Our archetypal nonsubjective was to beforehand and we achieved that.”

Neymar stayed astatine the team’s edifice treating a close ankle wounded sustained successful the opener successful Qatar. Team doctors person not yet fixed a timetable connected his instrumentality — oregon said if helium volition instrumentality astatine all.

“We cognize that Neymar is simply a large subordinate and that helium makes a difference,” Brazil defender Marquinhos said. “In hard moments helium takes connected the work and creates the opportunities, but we showed erstwhile again that we person prime players to marque up for his absence.”

The triumph gave Brazil six points from 2 matches, leaving Switzerland with three. Serbia and Cameroon, which drew 3-3 connected Monday night, person constituent each.

Switzerland, which had nary attempts connected target, needs a triumph successful the past lucifer against Serbia to warrant its spot successful the adjacent stage. A gully whitethorn beryllium capable depending connected the lucifer betwixt Brazil and Cameroon.

The effect extended Brazil’s unbeaten tally successful the radical signifier to 17 matches, with 14 wins and 3 draws. It has mislaid lone 1 of its past 29 radical games, with the past decision coming against Norway successful 1998 successful France.

Switzerland had mislaid lone 2 of its past 13 radical matches astatine the World Cup.

“I can’t truly blasted the team, it did a bully occupation for rather immoderate time,” Switzerland manager Murat Yakin said done a translator. “I don’t deliberation it’s a disappointment. We person a batch of bully takeaways here. The adjacent crippled is thing we person power over.”

It was an adjacent lucifer aboriginal on, with some teams trying to power the crippled but not creating galore important chances. Without Neymar, Brazil struggled to get adjacent Switzerland's country until Casemiro scored with a bully one-timer into the acold corner, utilizing the extracurricular of his close ft successful a changeable that deflected somewhat disconnected defender Manuel Akanji. The assists came from Vinícius Junior and Rodrygo, the Real Madrid players who until caller had Casemiro arsenic their teammate. Casemiro present plays for Manchester United.

Brazil manager Tite replaced Neymar with Fred, Casemiro's Man United teammate, freeing up Lucas Paquetá to play person to the attack. Éder Militão, who plays arsenic a cardinal defender astatine Real Madrid, came successful for Danilo successful the close backmost position, alternatively of seasoned Dani Alves.

With Paquetá not being capable to make overmuch for Brazil, Tite began the 2nd fractional with Rodrygo successful the team. Richarlison, who scored some of Brazil’s goals successful the opener, was not arsenic effectual and was substituted successful the 2nd half.

Vinícius Júnior thought helium had fixed Brazil the pb with a changeable from wrong the country aft a walk by Casemiro successful the 64th, but video reappraisal determined determination was offside successful the buildup. Few had noticed it until the VAR telephone was announced astatine Stadium 974.

Both teams won their opening matches, with Brazil defeating Serbia 2-0 and Switzerland beating Cameroon 1-0. Brazil and Switzerland besides met successful the radical signifier successful 2018, drafting 1-1.

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