Easy does it
Brazil cruises past Serbia to win group and advance
MOSCOW — Worried no more, Brazil is moving on at the World Cup.
Paulinho and Thiago Silva scored Wednesday to give the five-time champion a 2-0 victory over Serbia and first place in Group E.
Brazil struggled in its opening two matches, first held to a 1-1 draw against Switzerland and then needing late goals to win 2-0 against Costa Rica. But the Brazilians controlled this one, and it was a big relief to Brazil coach Tite.
“I’m apparently at peace,” he said. “I’m still going to have a drink tonight for sure, a caipirinha. I’ll allow myself.”
Paulinho gave his team the lead when he met a lofted ball from Philippe Coutinho in the 36th minute. The defensive midfielder let the ball bounce in front of him near the penalty spot and kicked his right leg in the air to tap it over the goalkeeper’s fingertips.
Silva later scored with a powerful header in the 68th built off Neymar’s corner kick.
Brazil won the group and will next face Mexico in the round of 16 on Monday in Samara. Serbia was eliminated, finishing third in the group behind Switzerland, which also advanced to the knockout round.
Both of Brazil’s goals came when Serbia threatened to get back into the match.
The Serbs nearly scored in the 61st minute when Brazil goalkeeper Alisson pushed the ball into the path of forward Aleksandar Mitrovic, whose shot bounced off the keeper and was bound for the goal before being cleared by Silva.
“In the second half we tried to play with more risk,” Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic said. “We had chances to equalize, but we missed our chances and we were punished.”
For most of the first half, Brazil couldn’t break through Serbia’s compact back line. But then Paulinho, the player Tite calls his “secret weapon,” lived up to his name.
› Switzerland 2, Costa Rica 2
NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia — Switzerland is through to a knockout game against Sweden at the World Cup.
Half of its starting defense isn’t.
Switzerland finished runner-up in its group despite twice losing the lead in its draw with Costa Rica. The riveting game culminated with a stoppage-time penalty kick from Costa Rica captain Bryan Ruiz that hit the crossbar and went in off Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s head.
Despite the late drama, a draw was enough to send Switzerland through to the knockout stage.
But there’s bad news for the Swiss: Yellow cards for captain Stephan Lichtsteiner and fellow defender Fabian Schaer — each player’s second of the tournament — mean they’ll be suspended for Tuesday’s round of 16 match in St. Petersburg. Their absence leaves two gaping holes to be filled at the back as Switzerland chases its first quarterfinal since 1954.
“This is certainly not an ideal scenario,” Switzerland midfielder Blerim Dzemaili said. “We don’t need to look at who’s not there, we need to look at who will be able to play. This is very disappointing.”
Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic’s gamble to play the two key defenders while they were already on yellow cards backfired in a game in which the team only needed a draw to progress. As it turned out, Switzerland could have lost to already eliminated Costa Rica and still gone through because Brazil beat Serbia 2-0.
“I think the team can cope (against Sweden),” Petkovic said. “It’s too bad for those two guys, but it’s too late now to lament that and correct that.”
Right back Lichtsteiner received his yellow for a studsup tackle in the first half. Central defender Schaer got his with seven minutes to go of regulation time.
Dzemaili slammed in the first goal from close range in the 31st minute. Costa Rica avoided being the only team to go home from Russia without a goal when defender Kendall Waston rose to head in a corner early in the second half to equalize at 1-1. Substitute Josip Drmic put Switzerland ahead again with a first-time shot from a cross in the 88th minute.
Costa Rica, a surprise quarterfinalist in Brazil four years ago, lifted itself again on Ruiz’s kick.
“In the second half we tried to play with more risk. We had chances to equalize, but we missed our chances and we were punished.” – MLADEN KRSTAJIC, SERBIA COACH