On Friday, June 4, Brazil won its fifth victory in five games in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador (2-0), in Porto Alegre. A success that allows the time for a moment to forget the tensions around the Copa America, which is to be held in the country from June 13 to July 10 – a little against the general opinion.
Unable to pass on the wings in the first period, the Seleçao stumbled against a compact block in the axis, with a Neymar well muzzled. The PSG star could have found the flaw on set piece, but Richarlison was too short to resume his free kick (19th). “Ney” also tried his luck with a long shot (43rd) and was scared of a shock with Mendez in stoppage time of the first period. Holder of the national team for the first time in five years, Gabigol, center-forward of Flamengo, was refused a goal for offside (41st).
The match changed after the break, on a twist of fate. Tite was preparing to bring in Gabriel Jesus in place of Richarlison, but ultimately preferred to replace Fred, who had almost received a second yellow card on the previous action. This change with a vocation much more offensive than expected has completely transfigured the Seleçao. Two minutes later, it was Richarlison, very happy to stay on the field, who freed Brazil with a cross strike from the left, after a good shift from Neymar, his fourth assist in these qualifications.
The number 10 also scored his 65th goal for Brazil from a penalty in stoppage time. He initially saw his soft shot stopped by goalkeeper Dominguez. But the referee, alerted by the VAR, then decided to take the penalty again, because the Ecuadorian goalkeeper had advanced before the Brazilian’s strike. And Neymar succeeded in his second attempt.
The Seleçao continues its full card and prances at the top of the standings, with 15 points, 4 more than Argentina, 13 goals scored and only two conceded.
END OF THE GAME! With goals from Neymar Jr. and Richarlison, the #Brazilian Team wins another one in the qualifiers. Let’s go!
2×0 | #BRAxEQU # Playoffs
Photo: @lucasfigfoto / CBF pic.twitter.com/9OUuvyvPtP
— CBF Football (@CBF_Futebol) June 5, 2021
The victory is good for the morale of this Seleçao who lives an extremely tense situation off the field. The announcement of the choice of Brazil to organize the Copa América (June 13 – July 10) off the cuff instead of Argentina and Colombia took everyone by surprise, including the players.
According to local media, they did not appreciate hearing it from the press, and not from the leaders of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), and some would consider boycotting the competition. Brazil is the second country in the world most bereaved by Covid-19, with more than 470,000 dead and the threat of a third wave in the coming weeks.
“We cannot broach this subject today, but we want to give our opinion because a lot of things have happened”
Casemiro, the captain of the Seleçao
to TV Globo
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“Everyone knows our position, it is very clear”, declared Captain Casemiro, visibly annoyed by the situation at the microphone of TV Globo after the meeting. “We cannot broach this subject today, but we want to give our opinion because a lot of things have happened”, he added.
Coach Tite made similar comments Thursday at a press conference and had promised that the group would speak on this subject after the two qualifying matches. La Seleçao will face Paraguay in Asuncion on Tuesday.
And the turbulence does not end there: Friday, the GloboEsporte site revealed that the president of the CBF, Rogério Caboclo, had been the subject of a complaint for moral and sexual harassment of an employee of the confederation.
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