“A stunning goal that evoked every cliché of the genius of Brazilian football.” jonawils on Richarlison’s sensational strike and the result it helped secure for a Brazil side that looked every bit of the World Cup favorite it’s touted to be
on Thursday, and while there will be sterner tests to come, this was a game that asked Brazil a lot of questions and it answered the vast majority of them. Brazil had not lost its first game at a World Cup since 1934, but, as Argentina and Germany’s defeats had shown, nothing can be taken for granted. At the very least, barring a major shock against Switzerland on Monday, qualification for the last 16 should not really be in doubt.
To the first two issues, there is a new clarity. Against a team of Serbia’s standing, there is no real problem. This was certainly a physical test and Brazil passed it. That there was little play-acting or apparent frustration suggested the third point might not be such a problem as it has been in the past. Even Neymar was relatively phlegmatic.
The reaction of the Serbian players as they left the pitch at halftime said much for their approach and how well they felt it had gone, as they high-fived and congratulated each other. The question, then, was whether they could sustain their concentration and hold out this enormously gifted Brazilian forward line for a full 90 minutes.
This, it felt, was for real: a challenger for the title being properly tested by an emergent side, both praised in the buildup, both optimistic, and both trying to work out then limits of their ability. Serbia, which finished above Portugal in World Cup qualifying, has a habit of promising much and delivering little at major tournaments, but there has been a sense that this is a more robust squad under Stojković, a team that is not just skillful but also has self-belief.
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