Key occasions
50 min The free-kick is a good approach to the left of centre, so excellent for Neymar…
49 min Casemiro wins the ball on midway and snaps a go into Neymar. He makes straight for the realm and is about to enter it when Gudelj takes him down. A transparent yellow card, and a great alternative for Brazil.
48 min Raphinha has had Brazil’s two finest probabilities. We haven’t seen a replay of that latest alternative but it surely seemed like a reasonably good save.
47 min “By no means thoughts Richarlison, Raphinha, Martinelli and Jesus. How a lot may they use the sneaky guile of Firmino?” muses Matt Dony. “Not that I thoughts him having a month off…”
46 min: Probability for Raphinha! Brazil virtually rating after 35 seconds. The keeper Milinkovic-Savic performed a dreadful go in the direction of Gudelj that was nicked by Raphinha, however he made up for his error by spreading himself to make a wonderful point-blank save.
46 min Peep peep! Serbia get the second half beneath manner. Neymar spends the primary 18 seconds of the half doing his shoelaces up.
“How are Raphinha and Richarlison forward of Martinelli and Jesus?” asks Andrew Hurley. “Raphinha was hardly earth shattering at Leeds, Richarlison can’t begin (largely) for Spurs, they usually’re forward of two stars of a staff with one of the best begin in a premier league in years.. watching these two and considering of the extent of the Arsenal pair this season…”
Martinelli doesn’t actually play on the correct, does he? Richarlison forward of Jesus is basically primarily based on kind for the nationwide staff. Richarlison has scored seven targets this yr; Jesus has one within the final three years. That stated, I do know who I’d least prefer to defend in opposition to.
Half-time studying
The whataboutery World Cup took an unlikely twist immediately, when Carlos Queiroz channelled his internal David Brent.
“Having been a fan of Oxford United for the final 30 years I can guarantee you that fixed fouling is part of a lot of the English recreation as properly,” says Michael Chilcott. “Undecided about this ‘South American soccer = fouling and dishonest and am everybody else is pure’ stuff.”
I don’t know the place you’ve obtained that picture of English soccer from.
Half time: Brazil 0-0 Serbia
Peep peep! Tite picked 5 attacking gamers, seven if you happen to embrace the full-backs, eight if you happen to rely Casemiro’s passing – however a resilient, well-organised Serbia restricted Brazil to just one clear likelihood for Raphinha.
See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min There can be one minute of added time.
45 min I’d like to know what number of touches Richarlison and Mitrovic have had between them. It’s not in triple figures, that’s for certain.
43 min “Is it simply me,” writes Chris Barry, “or does the Brazil coach Tite remind anybody else of Harry Grout from Porridge?”
41 min Serbia virtually pay the worth for daring to assault. Brazil break, with somebody (I DON’T KNOW OKAY) hammering an extended go downfield. Milenkovic tried to hook it over his shoulder, simply inside the realm, however kicked it in opposition to Vinicius Jr. He ran via on aim and was about to shoot when Milenkovic made a positive restoration deal with.
39 min Possession-watch: Brazil 60-40 Serbia. It feels nearer to 70-30, however there you go. Both manner, Serbia can be virtually solely happy with how the primary half has gone.
37 min Tadic performs a return go to the underlapping Zivkovic, whose very deep cross is headed huge by Mladenovic (I believe). An eighth likelihood at finest.
36 min “The times of the inventive attacking Brazilian staff are lengthy gone,” writes Jeff Sachs. “All that’s left is the fixed fouling … an indicator of South American soccer immediately.”
35 min: Probability for Raphinha! Brazil must be in entrance. Raphinha swaggers infield from the correct, performs a beautiful one-two with Paqueta however then sidefoots tamely at Milinkovic-Savic from about 15 yards.
34 min Serbia’s formation is theoretically 3-4-2-1, however for the time being it’s extra of a 5-4-0-1. Nonetheless, it’s working.
31 min Raphinha takes a nook quick to Paqueta, who returns it with a classy backheel. Raphinha crosses low to the close to put up and Milinkovic-Savic grabs the ball in entrance of Thiago.
30 min Casemiro arrows an outstanding go in the direction of Raphinha on the correct facet of the realm. He heads it throughout the realm and Milenkovic heads behind. Casemiro’s passing is a farce.
Soccer Weekly division
27 min: Terrific goalkeeping from Milinkovic-Savic! Thiago Silva, the previous rogue, walks ahead unchallenged and slices a forensic go to place Vinicius via on aim, however Milinkovic-Savic is so fast off his line and dives bravely at Vinicius’s ft.
26 min “Essentially the most irritating facet of the Brazilian nationwide staff for the final three a long time or so is their fixed tactical fouling,” says Kári Tulinius. “For example, it appears they take turns kicking whichever Serbian participant has the ball close to the midway line, stopping assaults earlier than they develop. It’s efficient, however deeply annoying, and why I’ve by no means warmed to them.”
Sure, it’s fascinating that, within the final 30 years, Brazil have been the world’s chief exporter of defensive midfielders. I don’t assume they even acknowledged their existence till the late Nineteen Eighties.
25 min That’s a bit higher from Serbia. Tadic strikes down the correct and angles a deep cross in the direction of Mitrovic. Alisson comes from his line to assert with authority.
24 min Serbia look fairly snug defensively, however they haven’t but given Alexsandar Mitrovic something to feast on. It’s an intriguing recreation moderately than an thrilling one.
23 min “Hello Rob,” says Kevin Dwyer. “As a younger apprentice electrician in 1966 I used to be impressed, together with a number of on my fellow apprentices, by the England victory within the World Cup Remaining. Six of us determined to avoid wasting up £4 per week out of our meagre wages to attend the 1970 World Cup. Two of us caught with it regardless of the siren name of music, drink and ladies. As a 21-year-old I watched the entire England video games plus the ultimate within the Azteca stadium. I’ve seen the greats of that period within the flesh, and the laissez-faire perspective of the time noticed us mingling with the gamers of their accommodations.
“The years rolled on and the medical doctors instructed me that the final World Cup would virtually actually be my final one too. Right here I’m, nonetheless having fun with the Guardian’s protection of the sport ready for the updates to pop up within the timeline.”
Properly that’s my favorite electronic mail of the World Cup thus far.
21 min Casemiro hits a roller from distance that’s comfortably saved by Milinkovic-Savic.
21 min Neymar hits a stinger from 30 yards that’s blocked by Veljkovic. That was superbly struck.
20 min Paqueta loses the ball to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who tries to launch a break however is immediately dispossessed by Casemiro.
19 min “As it’s Thanksgiving right here within the USA, I wish to give because of Richarlison for kind of single-handedly protecting Everton up final season,” says Matt Burtz. “And I wish to thank Brazil for having among the finest uniforms in all of sports activities.”
17 min Serbia get pleasure from their first prolonged spell of possession. They don’t look overawed, even when they haven’t but bothered Alisson.
14 min: Neymar virtually scores from the nook! And I’m fairly certain he meant it. He noticed Milinkovic-Savic wandering in the direction of the six-yard line and curled a depraved inswinger beneath the crossbar. Milinkovic-Savic scampered backwards to tip it over.
13 min The primary thrilling run from Vinicius Jr. He scorched previous Zivkovic, who recovered properly to concede a nook with the assistance of Veljkovic (I believe).
12 min Danilo loses the ball close to the midway line, Casemiro wins it again with the minimal of fuss. He actually is an impressive participant.
10 min “Genuinely grateful for the Guardian MBM,” says no person, ever Rachel Clifton. “The Fox protection right here has been dreadful – terrible evaluation, full grovelling to Qatar (absolutely nothing to with the nationwide airline sponsoring the protection / giving them free flights)… wishing my Spanish was higher so I may watch Telemundo as an alternative.”
9 min Casemiro lends the ball to a couple folks in fast succession after which arrows an outstanding disguised go to Neymar within the space. He controls it deftly however doesn’t have time to get a shot away after which runs into bother. That was a helluva go from Casemiro.
8 min Sergey Milinkovic-Savic makes a beeline for the Brazil space and is stopped on the sting by Marquinhos.
8 min “Simply questioning if it’s true that we ‘all love Brazil’?” says Ed Rostron. “They’re nonetheless eating out on that jogo bonito repute however there’ve been an terrible lot of cynics, cloggers, cheats and clowns of their sides during the last 30 years. I don’t know in the event that they’re the neutrals’ favourites nowadays: keep in mind how all of us laughed when Germany, usually the pantomime villains, obliterated them in their very own again yard?”
The best trick the satan ever pulled…
6 min Pavlovic is booked, possibly a little bit harshly, for a foul on Neymar.
5 min “Dream World Cup remaining?” muses Simon McMahon. “Scotland v England, obvs. However that may’t occur, not this time at the very least. So, USA v Iran. Failing that, India v Pakistan.”
4 min The primary bit of pleasure. Raphinha loses Pavlovic on the correct and drives a low cross that’s kicked away on the close to put up.
3 min A sluggish begin, nothing a lot to report. Brazil look to be taking part in with a 6 (Casemiro), an 8 (Paqueta) and a ten (Neymar) – an more and more common system utilized by, amongst others, Arsenal males and England girls.
1 min Peeeeeeep peeeeeeep! Brazil kick off from left to proper as we watch.
Apparently Filip Kostic is barely match sufficient for the bench, which explains what would have been a peculiar omission.
“We might all love Brazil,” writes Richard Hirst, “however tonight there’s a sure a part of west London that can be without end Serbia: cos Mitro’s on fireplace!”
And he’ll be up in opposition to one other hero of west London: Thiago Silva.
The gamers are on the sphere, prepared for enterprise. There are literally thousands of Brazil followers, most of them carrying the well-known yellow shirt.
“What’s your dream World Cup remaining?” asks Kurt Perleberg. “Mine is Brazil vs the USMNT.”
Portugal v Argentina could be vigorous, for apparent causes, however I’d actually prefer to see Brazil v Spain.
Serbia’s supervisor is Dragan Stojkovic, the person who produced one of many extra scrumptious first touches in World Cup historical past. It’s after 2m22s, however you would possibly as properly watch the entire video.
Twenty minutes to kick off
It’s time for a reminder of why all of us love Brazilian soccer
It’s an honest staff that may depart this chap on the bench
“Hail fellow and properly met, Ringo!” writes Aaron Roston. “Have you learnt what the attendance on the video games has been like? I’ve seen a good variety of empty seats. After all there’s the actual attendance numbers after which there’s Fifa numbers… And Brazil would’ve gained in 66 if Pele hadn’t been viciously fouled and knocked out of the event.”
Hmm, I’m undecided in regards to the final level – weren’t they between nice generations? Garrincha was sadly previous it, Djamla Santos was 37, Jairzinho and Tostao had been bairns.
As for the attendances, the empty seats are an optical phantasm brought on by your unconscious prejudice.
The primary recreation in Group G was performed earlier immediately. Switzerland, an ungainly bunch whose presence makes this a tough group to foretell, beat Cameroon 1-0.
Jonathan Liew’s preview
Crew information
Tite has taken the attacking possibility, choosing Vinicius Jr forward of Fred. Meaning Neymar strikes infield to play as a No10, and Lucas Paqueta drops again alongside Casemiro.
Dragan Stojkovic has left the Juventus pair of Filip Kostic and Dusan Vlahovic on the bench, with Aleksandar Mitrovic up entrance.
Brazil (4-2-3-1) Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta; Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Jr; Richarlison.
Substitutes: Weverton, Ederson, Fred, Dani Alves, Eder Militao, Fabinho, Alex Telles, Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Jesus, Antony, Rodrygo, Everton Ribeiro, Bremer, Pedro, Martinelli.
Serbia (3-4-2-1) V Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Lukic, Gudelj, Mladenovic; Tadic, S Milinkovic-Savic; A Mitrovic.
Substitutes: Dmitrovic, Rajkovic, Erakovic, Maksimovic, Radonjic, Jovic, S Mitrovic, Babic, Kostic, Vlahovic, Racic, Djuricic, Lazovic, Ilic, Grujic.
Referee Alireza Faghani (Iran).
Preamble
What comes subsequent on this sequence: 4, 8, 24, 8, ?
It’s 4, proper? No, in fact it isn’t. Roberto Carlos pulled his socks up on the fallacious second and Brazil didn’t win the 2006 World Cup. We don’t know what comes subsequent, however all linked with the Seleção will hope it’s 20. The sequence – as I’m certain you knew anyway, you heritage fan you – is the variety of years between Brazilian World Cup wins since their first triumph in 1958.
In addition they gained it in 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Since then: nada. Zilch. Bugger all. Not even a remaining. They’re overdue.
This the final likelihood for Thiago Silva to win a World Cup, in all probability Casemiro and Neymar too. Tite’s facet are favourites to win Qatar 2022 – however they had been additionally favourites in 1982, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2014, so I’m undecided what the ethical of this specific story is.
Their attacking choices are such that the magnificent Vinicius Jr isn’t a assured starter. Tite wants to decide on between him or Fred, which isn’t the apparent duh-cision you would possibly count on. If he picks Vinicius, Casemiro would be the solely watercarrier on the town, and Brazil have typically most popular pragmatism since Tele Santana’s idealists didn’t win the World Cup in 1982 and 1986.
Brazil have been banging within the targets of late, even with a comparatively pragmatic system – however then so have Serbia, who tick a lot of the dark-horse packing containers. It is a actually awkward first recreation for Brazil. Serbia certified forward of Portugal and still have severe choices in assault, together with Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. They gained’t worry Brazil; they don’t worry anybody.
It’s the final recreation of the primary spherical of fixtures, and it might be a cracker.
Kick off 7pm GMT, 4pm in Rio de Janeiro, 8pm in Belgrade.
