Brazil v Mexico in last-16 clash
Brazil eased into the last 16 of the World Cup with a 2-0 win over a combative but limited Serbia in their Group E decider at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium.
It was far from fluent at times but goals from Paulinho, right, and Thiago Silva were a fair return on what was their best performance at Russia 2018 so far. Brazil will now meet Mexico in the last 16 in Samara on Monday.
Okay, he didn’t score, but bloody hell. Neymar’s first touch was a nutmeg. The kid can’t help himself. His second intervention was a driving run at the Serbia defence, red shirts melting into each other as he skipped past. Two minutes in and we were already aghast. As the singer once sang: “It was all yellow – look at the stars, see how they shine for you.”
It doesn’t matter how many times you witness the tricks, when you are sat close enough to smell the dubbin on his boots, the synapses never tire of spinning impressions of Neymar, back and forth around our heads. The speed, the athleticism, the bravery and the balls-out audacity make you wonder why anyone else bothers to play the game.
The Spartak Stadium was flush with shirts the colour of the sun. How many spoke Portuguese? Who knows? Who cares? Neymar and Brazil had come to town for the first time in this World Cup, and Moscow was plugged in. We are all fans of the Selecao, of course we are, compelled to love a team that loves a dribble, curls ’em in, dares to risk.
This is not the best iteration we have seen, but in Neymar they have a sherbet who would fizz in any Brazilian XI. We have seen too little of him in Russia, the foot injury he brought with him clearly
0 Thiago Silva heads home Brazil’s second goal to seal victory over Serbia and confirm his side’s place at the top of Group E. hampering his start, but he was back at it here, his golden mane trimmed neatly for the occasion.
A point would have been enough to see Brazil through. With the win they put the icing on Group E. Organisation and containment, hit on the break. That was so obviously Serbia’s goal in the hope that they might squeeze Brazilian pips sufficiently to force an error and nick the win that would take them through.
There was always hope in a Brazilrearguardhastilyreconfigured. After losing rightback Danilo 24 hours before kick-off, Marcelo limped out of the match after ten minutes. Replacement Felipe Luiz would just have to do.
Though Neymar is the obvious funnel through which the yellow juice flows most readily, such is the attention he receives, at least two, often three opponents within kissing distance, the ball shifts quickly to other parts. Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus are frequently first receivers, not the worst understudies this stage has seen.
And so it was that Coutinho picked out the advancing Paulinho, hitherto a minder of more polished jewels, with a very Brazilian pass, all pace and bend, leaving the Barcelona henchman needing only to toe poke it past the overmatched Vladimir Stojkovic to ease Brazil ahead.
There is a visceral quality about Brazil, a belly that never can never be sated born of privations the first world will never know. This is understood in neighbourhoods the size of small towns that live under corrugated roofs and pirate electricity off the national grid when the cops aren’t looking.
This survival instinct comes in handy when you have to dog it out. Yes, even Brazil have to do that. Nothing is given in this game and Serbia are a handful when their dander is up. For a ten-minute spell in the second half, Brazil were penned in and properly stretched.
The spell was broken when Thiago Silva rose to meet Neymar’s corner and plant the ball in the net. The yellow shirts did not pile over him. Instead he led them to the corner flag to commune with the the golden child who curled the ball so perfectly on his napper.
Brazil set a chilling standard here, one that their rivals will have to match if they are to deny them a sixth carnival on World Cup Sunday. A Premier League referee needed no extra time to make it to Kaliningrad after cycling 1,700 miles across Europe.
Martin Atkinson, 47, set off from England’s training camp at St George’s Park, in Staffordshire, on 11 June and pedalled through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Poland before arriving yesterday.
Joined by friend Darren Clark, the pair arrived in good time to see England’s World Cup group decider against Belgium tonight.
Atkinson, from Leeds, said: “We said all along it will be challenging, it will be demanding but I’m reallyfortunatethatmyselfand Darren can ride a bike and the big thing about doing this for charity is some people can’t do that and that’s the thing that drives us all the way through.
“We get a little bit of pain in the morning when we get on the bike but it’s only pain and it’s only temporary. I’d like to say I enjoyed it but I might be lying. But it was worth doing and it’s been worthwhile seeing that total go up.”
The attempt has made nearly £60,000 for four charities, including St David’s Hospice Care in Newport, South Wales, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Charity, and Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation.
But the trip did not go completely smoothly, as fellow rider Mike Tomlinson was taken to hospital after falling off his bike only two days before the finish. The husband of the late Jane Tomlinson, he was said to be “gutted” not to have completed the journey, which was also raising money for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.
Mr Atkinson said he hoped England could continue their winning run.
“We’ve seen highlights of the first two games and they’ve started well. The last game showed just what we can do.”
Asked if England could lift the trophy on 15 July, he added: “Well in my lifetime I’ve not seen it so it’ll be great if it does – we’ve got the potential, we’ve certainly got the players to do it.”