Serbia V Brazil World Cup 2018

Serbia V Brazil

(Synopsis in red)

Beers: Group E of Beer World Cup:

World Cup of Beer Group E

Kabinet V Sol. Both countries need a result to get into my beer world cup last 16, who will get it?

Kabinet pull all out all the stops to beat Skol. It looked looked, smelled fantastic, and was well tasty. Skol was actually quite refreshing cold from the fridge, but the win goes to Kabinet and their IPA

PreGame:

For Switzerland V Serbia it truly was a game of two halves, really. Mitrovic scored early doors, from an excellent cross by Tadic, who only a minute beforehand had whipped in a virtually similar cross into the box. This time they scored, and Mitrovic and Tadic were combining well all first half, with most play coming down the left side. At the other end of the pitch, their defence was again solid, the Swiss just couldn’t get pass them at all.

How often have we seen teams punished for missing simple chances. Well that happened when Tosic should really have made it 2-0 when he totally missed a free header in the Swiss box. Oh how he rued that miss.

Then in the second half Switzerland came more into it, Shaqiri spent most of the first half moaning and falling down easy, but in the second half he decided to actually play, and was to be found on both wings and playing balls from all over. Much improved.

The game, and momentum, had changed in the Swiss’ favour, and sure enough on the 52nd minute, Xhaka (who did fuck all else in the game) scored with a cracker from outside the box to equalize. Was a good finish alright.

It was amazing what a goal can do, for the Swiss it reinvigorated them while totally shocked the Serbs who looked like it drained them of all their energy. Shaqiri hit the post with a wonder strike, and you could sense that perhaps there was a win for this Swiss team. Well in the 90 minute that goal came, and Shaqiri was the man to take all the credit, on the break calming slotting it past the on running goal, you just knew he wasn’t going to miss from there. Brilliant, what a turnaround for the Swiss.

For the Serbs they can count themselves very unlucky. They also might feel a tad bit pissed as Mitrovic was clearly manhandled in the Swiss box, whats the point of VAR if they cant pick up those obvious infringements? They now play Brazil, knowing a draw might not even be enough (I think!?)

Brazil V Costa Rica: Good game, were Brazil started the more livelier and were far pacier in the early stages of the game, without creating a whole lot of chances either. In fact the first real chance of the game fell to Borges who had a clear shot on goal but he fluffed it way wide. What a terrible chance wasted.

Neymar was active, and he forced Navas off his line to save, early on. He also had another good chance to score but for the reaction save of Navas again. Neymar had the chances but looked a little off the pace just ever so slightly. Remember he still isn’t completely back to full fitness. But it wasn’t all Neymar, Coutinho had a cracking game, with all the good moves starting with him on the ball first.

Costa Rica continued to have chances of their own, had a 3 v 2 break but again they fluffed their lines. They really could have done with more composure in the final half of the pitch.

Time was ticking and it didn’t look like a goal was coming. Then Neymar capitalized on a bad mistake to be running on free towards goal on his favourite foot, a goal surely? Alas he hit it curling just wide. Was that the chance gone?

No, because not long after Neymar was again involved, this time in the box appearing to be dragged back by the Costa Rican defender. It looked a penalty, but the referee needed another view. He wasn’t convinced and changed his mind, no penalty. A brave decision and the correct decision I think. A slight touch but a dramatic fall by Neymar. Good decision. Neymar later got a yellow for petulance, silly card to get.

Costa Rica thought they had done enough, got the draw they needed. But one minute into injury time, Coutinho ran onto a ball and smashed it home, brilliant, and no more than he deserved. A nation breathed a sigh of relief when that went in. This goal started the samba football off, and flicks and lovely ball control were shown by the guys in yellow, including Neymar who cleverly flicked the ball over the defenders head, what skill! And if that wasn’t enough, rather than defend the lead, Brazil only went up and scored another. Finally the man of the moment got on the score sheet, Neymar, with a nice square pass from Costa, 2-0 to get Brazil’s world cup finally on the road. All great fun and drama to watch!

Serbia today might be a different proposition to Costa Rica. But now that Brazil have finally started to motor, I think they might just sneak a win here.

A more detailed review on Serbia here and on Brazil here

Got to see the second half of this game. Paulinho got Brazil off the mark in the first half.

Serbia made a good fist of it in the second half, had Brazil under the cosh for a good twenty minutes, and had their chances to equalise. Mitrovic got his head to a goalkeeper’s mistake but headed it onto a defender, a chance missed. Brazil looked shady and were just barely hanging on.

But they did, as they got a good second goal. A great corner from Neymar, found the head of Thiago Silva who headed it to make it two nil to Brazil and game over. A lovely header to kill the game.

After that it was samba football as Brazil could relax and Serbia gave up the ghost, even though there were about 25 minutes left.

Brazil now move onto playing Mexico, a better draw than playing Sweden I think. Mexico, as we have seen, can be beaten, and are really not that good. Korea beat Germany too, remember!

Serbia go home, a bit unfortunate not to get that penalty they deserved against Switzerland, but they had their chances against Brazil and didn’t take them, and that is that!

Music to get you in the mood

Bajaga-Tišina (Serbia) V Rita lee – Lança Perfume (Brazil)