Chelsea In Qatar – Brazil v Switzerland
Brazil 1 – 0 Switzerland
(Group G, Stadium 974, 28/11/2022)
Both teams went into this match with a win each and looking for maximum points after the first two games.
Brazil are one of the tournament favourites, and rightly so, and were very impressive in their first game with a 2-0 win against Serbia with Chelsea’s Thiago Silva outstanding once again in the middle of the defence, at 38 years of age he is still at the top of his game. Tottenham’s Richarlison scoring both goals for his country.
Switzerland’s first game saw a 1-0 win against Cameroon, their goal scored by Embolo.
The stadium looked like a Brazil home game with lots of green and yellow, Thiago Silva once again was captain leading a similar line up to the first game but no Neymar who has an injury, Fred started in his place. Looking forward to seeing Vinicius Junior who looks like a star for the future. For Switzerland, Chelsea’s Denis Zakaria once more starting on the bench and hoping to get his first taste of World Cup football.
12 mins and Richarlison pulls one back for Vinicius but the Swiss defence holds strong, it’s all being played in the Switzerland half during this early period.
14 mins and It’s a free kick for the Swiss about 35 yards out, comes to nothing, played it wide when it should have gone into the box.
19 mins and Paquetea puts a great ball across the box but Richarlison just fails to connect, typical flowing Brazilian move after one touch walikng football.
Brazil are unbeaten in their last 16 World Cup group stage games, 17 would be a record!
25 mins and Vargas from the Swiss puts a ball across the bax but Silva is there to clear, still no real urgency from either side at the moment.
27 and a great move from Brazil over the top from Raphinha and a great save from Sommer as Vinicius get his volley on target.
The way this is going, the ground staff won’t have a lot to do in the Brazil half at the interval!
Switzerland holding strong here with Brazil taking control of this match, you can just feel it’s coming.
39 mins and a rare Swiss attack and Varga turns in the box but Silva once again stops the attack after initially being beaten.
43 mins and as we approach halftime Brazil have a corner, Xhaka clears for another corner and it’s pinball in the box but comes to nothing.
45 mins and amazingly it’s just 1 min of extra time and it’s the Swiss with a corner for once.
And that’s halftime with both teams failing to find the net.
Second half begins and Brazil make a substitution, Rodrygo is on for Paqueta.
47 mins and Vincius chasing a long ball from Sandro but is flagged offside.
50 mins and a yellow card for Rieder after a foul on Rodrygo.
51 mins and Brazil get a yellow card with Fred’s mistimed tackle on Sow.
53 mins and a quick break by Switzerland but Brazil hold firm, corner to the Swiss, easy take by the keeper Alisson who then messes up the delivery and nearly concedes, saved by his defence once again.
55 mins another quick break by Brazil and once again it’s just missed by Richarlison.
58 mins and Brazil and Switzerland are about to make some substitutions, Fred goes off and is replaced by Guimaraes and Rieder and Vargas make way for Fernandes and Steffen.
Once again the second half sees most of the play in the Swiss half.
63 mins …. GOAL! and you just knew who would provide the answer, Vinicius Junior slides past the Swiss defender and calmly slots it into the corner. Hang on though, VAR check, can you believe it, disallowed with Richarlison on halfway line comes back from an offside position.
68 mins, booking for Akanji as he takes out Vinicius.
72 mins, more substitutions, Brazil changing Richarlison and Raphynia for Anthony and Jesus.
74 mins, this time it’s substitutions for the Swiss, Aebisher and Seferovic coming on for Sow and Embolo.
All gone a bit quiet here, looks like no one wants to lose this rather than one of the teams trying to win it, ten mins to go to try and find a winner, Brazil have a corner which is easily taken by Sommer in goal.
82 mins GOAL! and Brazil take the lead, Casemiro smashes a shot from just inside the box and the Swiss keeper has no chance. This one stands with no VAR to spoil the Brazilian party, the supporters are doing the Samba in the stands. If the result stays as it is, Brazil will qualify for the knock out stages after just two games.
86 mins, now Brazil are turning on the magic, great save by Sommer to prevent the second, the Swiss look a beaten team now after holding out for so long.
88 mins, free kick for Brazil after Jesus is taken down just outside the box, straight into the keepers hands, very poor but, once again Jesus is taken down in a very similar position, can they make more of it this time, short one which once again comes to nothing.
Its 6 mins of additional time as we hit 90 mins.
93 mins and it should have been two only to be denied with some last ditch tackles. All Brazil now and the Swiss look a beaten side.
Full time and Brazil win 1-0, on the balance of play, thoroughly deserved, and despite a couple of scares in the Brazil goal mouth they looked fairly comfortable and always looked likely to score at some point. Brazil into the knock out stages.
Cover picture from the official Chelsea FC website
Posted by the CSG’s World Cup Willie
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