Richarlison capped off his FIFA World Cup debut with two late goals that helped Brazil defeat Serbia 2-0.
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As a result, the Seleço has remained unbeaten in the gathering stages since around 1998. Five-time champions Brazil was enthusiastically welcomed from the start at the Lusail Famous Arena, as the Seleço attempted to extend their 15-match unbeaten streak in the FIFA World Cup group stages.
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Brazil dominated the early exchanges and soon found their sweet spot, with Neymar first and foremost displaying the assurance of a player with 15 club goals this season as he took shots direct at goal from a corner. Vanja Milinkovi-Savi reacted quickly and tipped the PSG player’s shot over the crossbar.
With few options available in the final third, Thiago Silva strung a heavily weighted pass through a swarm of defenders and nearly tracked down Vincius Jnior in the penalty area, but Milinkovi-Savi was quick off his line to hook the ball away at the crucial second.
Despite the fact that he was in charge of a Serbian team that had only one clean sheet in qualifying, he stayed composed all through the first half to ensure that his men were only the third group in eight years to defeat Brazil in the World Cup finals.
Trying to capitalize on their new seven-game winning streak, Brazil increased the tempo after halftime, with Neymar twisting wide from Vincius Jnior’s cross before Alex Sandro’s diving strike pounded the post. The tension eventually caught up with Serbia, and Richarlison scored his eighth goal in seven internationals after reacting first to Milinkovi-spilled Savi’s save. Serbia felt the need to keep moving, and the team that had scored 11 goals in their previous three matches unexpectedly sprung to life as Sergej Milinkovi-Savi’s risky header was cleared by the Brazilian defense.
However, as Serbia threw everything at them, Brazil savagely exposed the Birds’ defense when Richarlison controlled in the air and volleyed a relentless above kick past an established defender.
Milinković-Savić. Finally, the two goals were entirely appropriate for a dominant Seleço performance, as Richarlison’s group demonstrated unequivocally.
Dragan Stojkovi’s Serbia had a lot to deal with in terms of quality, and the Hawks must quickly rediscover their structure in order to reach their most memorable knockout stages as a free country.
