Whatever the unrest in the Brazil Playing Camp over the Copa America didn’t affect her form in World Cup qualifying.
Tuesdays 2-0 win away Paraguay scored six out of six wins in the campaign and presented a team that appears to be moving in the right direction. For a while the defeat too Belgium In the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup, coach Tite rolled over, even after winning the Copa America 2019 at home. Now his team has the best attack (16 goals) and the best defense (only 2 goals conceded) in South America. And they have a number of interesting variations too.
For the game in Paraguay, Tite switched to a 4-4-2, with Roberto Firmino and Neymar front. Firmino drove the Paraguayan defense back and gave Neymar space to pick up the ball and run. The key idea was to use Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison on the flanks – Jesus far to the right, outside the opposing three-way chain, and Richarlison cuts in from the left.
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The tactic took less than four minutes to bear fruit. Be right back Danilo long hit the ball to Jesus, whose cross was almost hit by Richarlison, and instead collected by Neymar, who hit the far post, controlled cleanly and slid home with calm competence.
It took Brazil a long time to finish the game but Paraguay barely threatened. guardian Ederson, surprisingly chosen before Alisson, made an excellent save, flew to the left to topple over at the defender Omar Alderete hit a clearance with a glowing long-range shot. Towards the end there was also a routine parade from the substitute right-back Alberto Espinola. And little else – Paraguay seemed hard to believe that a goal against the narrow defensive, which was so well set up, was possible Brands.
Paraguay scored better after the break and sent central defenders Junior Alonso higher in the field to close Neymar. However, Brazil’s number 10 laughed last. In stoppage time, he carved the defense and fitted directly to the half-time substitution Lucas Paqueta to take a left-footed shot from the far post.
Paqueta is an interesting case. He is a versatile figure who can fill almost any role in midfield or attack. On Friday he started against Ecuador in the central attacking midfield. Failing to click there, it was moved far to the right where it probably lacks the pace to be a world champion. And then he fell deeper into the central midfield and filled when Fred has been replaced. This is where his passing game was most useful. It’s a role that requires defensive discipline, however, and Tite still has his doubts.
So it was fascinating to see how he steps in for Fred at halftime on Tuesday and operates again in this role. He spent about 25 minutes there and nearly got the team in trouble once or twice. Then he moved forward when Firmino was rested and ended the game on the right, where he scored his goal – something that will work wonders for the confidence of a player still finding his way on the national team.
There is hope that he could be the replacement for Renato Augusto, the all-round midfielder who was so influential in Brazil’s golden run in late 2016 and through 2017. This is certainly the best Brazil has seen since then.
0:49
Ale Moreno wonders if Argentina’s upgraded line of defense will be the catalyst to help Lionel Messi win a trophy.
And Argentina have been looking better than ever since the 2016 Copa Centenario, although there are still problems to be solved and they will be miserable, two points in one 2-2 move away to Colombia.
For a long time it looked as if all three points were in the bag – but mainly because Colombia did its best right from the start to destroy itself. With two center-backs buckled in Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez, coach Reinaldo Rueda will have been confident that his team could handle routine free kicks into the box. But from the first they faced, they were overtaken by Christian Romerowho went home. And with two specialized defensive midfielders, Rueda would have imagined it would be impossible for Leandro Paredes go through the middle and beat the goalkeeper. But it all happened and Colombia were two goals behind in eight minutes. After less than half an hour, Rueda made an offensive move, at half time there were three more.
Argentina, on the other hand, looked like a team. With three in the central midfield who deal with Lionel Messi, they had an interesting ball possession cycle. And finally there were signs of a better relationship between Messi and the center-forward Lautaro Martinez. They had a chance to end the game on the counterattack. But when the circuit broke there were signs of vulnerability.
The quality of the defense is the big question mark against Argentina – as it has been for a long time. Tuesday’s draw barely dispelled any doubts – although they were unlucky to lose the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, ousted after an ugly collision with Mina.
Shortly after halftime Nico Otamendi, shaken by a flank from the Colombian left, committed an unnecessary penalty and Luis Muriel pulled one back. Argentina stepped up their defense and switched to three center-backs, but they still crumbled. With almost the last action of the game Juan Cuadrado crossed from the right, striker Miguel Borja climbed up Juan Foyth and sent a header through replacement keeper Agustin Marchesin. Argentina remain undefeated – they haven’t lost since the 2019 Copa semi-finals – but they are now a full six points behind Brazil.
However, they are three points ahead of third-placed Ecuador, who missed a great opportunity to make up ground with a surprising 2-1 home defeat Peru. Ecuador started with two center-forwards and the system never worked. They pushed for much of the game but were always prone to the thrust and movement of Gianluca Lapadula. Born and raised in Italy, but with a Peruvian mother, Lapadula recently cast his lot with Peru. But it seems like the best that can happen to the national team in a while. He prepared both gates – one for Christian Cueva and the other for Luis Advincula. The promising one Gonzalo silver pulled one back for Ecuador in added time.
Both Peru and Ecuador will likely be relieved that the game between Venezuela and Uruguay ended goalless – the third game in a row that Uruguay did not make it onto the net. And the round ended with another tie. Chile missed the chance to jump to fourth place after a 1-1 draw at home Bolivia. The only spark for Chile was a goal from the midfielder Erick thumb – the first time in the campaign that someone other than Arturo Vidal or Alexis Sanchez scored for them. Bolivia secured a point with a late penalty from the captain and center forward Marcelo Martins Morenowho single-handedly keeps them fighting for a place in Qatar.
But at the moment everyone can dream. There are still 12 rounds to play and the bottom two Venezuela and Peru are only four points behind the qualifying places.
