World-2022: Brazil qualifies by beating Colombia

Published on : 11/12/2021 – 07:48

It’s made for Brazil. La Seleçao validated their ticket to the World Cup in Qatar by beating Colombia 1-0 on Thursday in Sao Paulo, thanks to a goal from Paqueta on a pass from Neymar.

Qualifying five days from the end rewards an almost perfect course for the five-time world champions, with 11 wins in 12 matches, 27 goals scored and only four conceded.

The only nation to have played in all editions of the tournament, Brazil joins three other selections already qualified for the 2022 World Cup, Germany, Denmark and Qatar, the host country.

“This qualification is the fruit of all the efforts made for a long time. I cried of joy after the goal because I am very happy to live these moments in the jersey of Brazil and with Olympique Lyonnais,” Paqueta told microphone from TV Globo after the match.

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Valiant Colombians

In front of their home crowd, the Brazilians had to battle to find the loophole against valiant Colombians who had kept their clean sheet in the last three meetings, including the first leg against Tite’s men a month ago, in Barranquilla.

The Brazilian coach, who has recovered his captain from midfielder Casemiro, absent from the last rally, had lined up a team with a strong offensive vocation, with Paqueta leaning on the left to combine with Neymar.

Highly visible in the last matches of the Seleçao, Raphinha did the same on the right wing, with Gabriel Jesus.

Colombian side, the returning James Rodriguez, recalled after a year of absence from the Cafeteros, started on the bench and was satisfied with fifteen minutes at the end of the game.

Chopped start of match

The start of the match was choppy, with few spaces and incessant fouls on both sides.

Colombia lit the first wicks, with long strikes from Barrios (6^e) then Duvan Zapata (19^e).

Brazil tried to react with Paqueta (21^e, 26^e), but for a long time impaled on the Colombian block, insisting on the axis.

It was by seeking depth that the Seleçao approached the opposing goal, with Raphinha coming down on the right to serve Danilo, who found the post of Ospina (35^e).

Marquinhos also almost opened the scoring, just before the break, from a corner.

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Revenge Tuesday against Argentina

Brazil showed a better face in the second half thanks to the entry of Vinicius Junior.

Highly visible at Real Madrid, he was not originally called by Tite, only in front of his place in the group only with Firmino’s package.

Antony and Matheus Cunha also made the difference as soon as they entered the field, with a cross from the first on the head of the second (68^e).

But it was Paqueta who finally freed Brazil. Marquinhos recovered a bad clearance and immediately served Neymar, who put the Lyonnais in orbit with a sublime pass without control (71^e). The action continued with a touch of the ball, Paqueta shooting Ospina with a cross strike in the box (71^e).

With the qualification assured, the Seleçao can calmly challenge Argentina, Tuesday, in San Juan, for the revenge of the final of the last Copa America, last July, at the Maracana (1-0 defeat).

With AFP