World Cup 2018: Neymar inspires Brazil to 2-0 victory over Mexico

Finally Brazil won three in a row at the World Cup and Neymar got what he had come for as the Selecao defeated Mexico 2-0 at the Samara Arena on Monday. Neymar scored once and assisted the another to carry Brazil into the quarterfinals.

It was first time since 2006 that Brazil won three consecutive games – two coming against Costa Rica and Serbia in the group stage followed by a comfortable victory over ‘El Tri’.

The Mexicans, after sensational victories over Germany and South Korea, never really succeeded in troubling goalkeeper Alison Becker, in the end mustering just one shot on target.

But just as Mexico’s fire boiled down after two gorgeous games, Neymar’s fire finally looks to have lighted up the World Cup. He was everywhere on the night against the Central Americans and was instrumental in setting up both the goals, the first of which he scored himself.

Running into the Mexican box from the left, it was his cheeky backheel that sent Willian free across the back-post, with the PSG star sliding to the put a low cross into the net in the 50th minute.

It was not just Neymar’s second goal in the tournament but the beginning of his moments. The goal was in so many ways similar to the first he had scored against Costa Rica, but what set this one different from the last was not just it’s importance in helping Brazil break the deadlock but in also showing that he (Neymar) has truly arrived.

He was inspirational and unlike the past games where he looked more a ‘Diva’ than a footballer, Neymar played like he should have. His runs across the left channel made life difficult for the Mexicans and not able to handle him other than pulling him down, they conceded the second goal.

For most past of the match, everytime Neymar moved ahead with the ball he was stopped with physicality and tackles from behind, like the one Javier Hernandez committed in just the second minute. But in the 88th minute, Mexico didn’t have Hernandez and those in-place had moved forward for an equaliser. Neymar ran cut across two defenders and played a similar cross to the one he scored from and Brazil too scored again. Firmino getting to the other end first, to do the honours.

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That Liverpool striker Firmino continues to warm the bench despite having such impacts is a riddle, Tite might have answer later in the tournament, but on the night his substitutions were spot-on.

Juan Osario’s tactics however weren’t as good and as Mexico set-off to mark Countiho who until this game looked Brazil’s only threat, Willian and Neymar stepped up – the former surpassing even the latter as Brazil’s most destructive player on the night.

His pace was too much for Mexico to handle and so were his runs one of which unlocked the tough Mexican defence.

‘El Tri’ unlike Willian couldn’t really use their most potent threat – pace on the counter attack and perhaps playing Hirving Lozano – who broke Germany apart after starting on the left – in the right was a grave mistake. They hardly threatened and despite matching Brazil’s ball-possession and attacking patterns, all they had on target was one shot, which Alison calmly tucked over the bar.

Next match: Belgium vs Japan from Rostov Arena at 11:30 pm IST