Soccer-Richarlison activates model as silky Brazil see off Serbia By Reuters

By Rohith Nair

LUSAIL, Qatar (Reuters) – Brazil outclassed Serbia 2-0 of their World Cup opener on Thursday as Richarlison’s second-half targets, together with a spectacular overhead kick, propelled the five-times champions to the highest of Group G.

The Tottenham Hotspur ahead has been in superb kind when carrying the golden yellow equipment of Brazil this yr and he opened the scoring with a straightforward tap-in earlier than doubling the lead along with his acrobatic effort.

It was his ninth objective for Brazil in seven video games in 2022 as Brazil leapfrogged Switzerland, who’re second within the group after they beat Cameroon 1-0. Serbia are backside.

Tite’s choice to go along with 4 forwards – Neymar, Vinicius Jr., Raphinha and Richarlison – in his attacking lineup paid off handsomely because the South Individuals dominated the match and made Serbia work arduous each time they went ahead.

Vinicius used his aptitude and acceleration to good impact to continually beat his man whereas Neymar, taking part in in a free position, usually discovered pockets of house, however a well-drilled Serbian defence stored Brazil at bay within the first half.

Brazil’s greatest likelihood of the half, nonetheless, got here when Neymar tried to catch goalkeeper Milinkovic-Savic off guard from a nook, whipping in an inswinger that was heading in the right direction earlier than the Torino participant punched it clear.

Serbia had been sweating over the health of their all-time prime scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic however coach Dragan Stojkovic named him within the beginning lineup.

MITROVIC ISOLATED

Not like Brazil’s ahead line, nonetheless, which threatened from all sides, the Fulham striker discovered himself remoted up entrance with little service as skipper and playmaker Dusan Tadic struggled to affect proceedings.

The second half was one-way visitors as Brazil shifted by way of the gears, Richarlison and Neymar losing gilt-edged probabilities contained in the field and Alex Sandro and Casemiro sending long-range efforts towards the woodwork.

The breakthrough got here simply after the hour from sensible work by Neymar to seek out Vinicius, whose preliminary shot was saved by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, however Richarlison was in the best place to faucet within the rebound for his first World Cup objective.

Serbia had been taking part in conservatively as much as that time and had no selection however to pour ahead, which gave Brazil more room and the second objective from Richarlison introduced the most important roar of the night time from the Brazilian contingent.

As Richarlison tried to regulate a cross from Vinicius, the ball popped up over his head and he leapt up within the air to volley residence a bicycle kick and seal the win for Brazil.

An virtually excellent night time for Brazil was, nonetheless, soured when Neymar got here off within the eightieth minute with what regarded like an ankle harm after a crunching sort out from Nikola Milenkovic.

It was the identical proper foot Neymar has had issues with earlier than and the Paris St Germain ahead sat on the bench along with his face lined whereas he acquired remedy as Brazil noticed out the match.