Paulinho and Thiago Silva earned Brazil a largely comfortable 2-0 victory over Serbia that clinched top spot in World Cup Group E and eliminated Mladen Krstajic's side.
Match Events
10' Marcelo goes off injured in tears
Early change for Brazil as Marcelo is replaced by Filipe Luis due to injury. He was limping slightly as he approached the bench.
25' WHAT A CHANCE missed by Brazil!
CHANCE! Jesus manages to worm a pass through the legs of a defender to Neymar, who takes a touch and tries a curl an effort towards the far corner from a tight angle. Stojkovic reads it well though and tips it wide.
31' Jesus misses one-on-one chance!
CHANCE! Neymar finds Jesus with a run behind the defence. He takes a touch to pull the ball onto his right foot, but his delay allows Milenkovic to get back in time to block. Serbia are struggling to deal with the runs of the Manchester City youngster.
36' GOAL! Serbia 0-1 Brazil (Paulinho)
GOAL! 1-0 Brazil!!!!
Another delightful chipped pass over the Serbian defence from Coutinho finds the run of Paulinho, who takes one touch in the box before chipped over the onrushing Stojkovic. Serbia have it all to do now.
45' CHANCE! Neymar's shot over the bar
CHANCE! Filipe Luis flicks the ball into the path of Neymar on the edge of the box, who's curling effort flies narrowly over the crossbar at the far post. Wonderful attacking play from the Brazilians in this first half.
57' CHANCE! Neymar's shot saved
CHANCE! Brazil get a chance on the counter. The ball is worked to Neymar on the left of the box but his low shot is saved by the legs of Stojkovic at the near post.
61' CHANCE! Serbia nearly level the score
CHANCE! Ljajic fires in a dangerous cross from the right wing across the face of goal. Alisson punches the ball but only as far as Mitrovic in the centre of the box, who can only head into the legs of a defender. That was a huge chance for Serbia.
65' CHANCE! Mitrovic's header saved
CHANCE! Ljajic again with a cross from the right and Mitrovic rises above Fagner at the back post to head towards goal. It is too close to Alisson though, who drops onto the ball to claim it. They are getting closer though.
68' GOAL! Serbia 0-2 Brazil (Thiago Silva)
GOAL! 2-0 Brazil!!!!
Neymar with the corner and Silva gets away from Matic at the front post to power a header beyond Stojkovic and into the near corner. There is surely no way back for Serbia now.
Match Report
Paulinho and Thiago Silva earned Brazil a largely comfortable 2-0 victory over Serbia that clinched top spot in World Cup Group E and eliminated Mladen Krstajic's side.
Brazil's win set up a last-16 meeting with Mexico in Samara on Monday, while it is Switzerland, not Serbia, who will take on Sweden in St Petersburg the following day after drawing 2-2 with Costa Rica.
Tite's side left it late to get past Costa Rica on Friday, but they only had to wait 36 minutes for the opener in Moscow, Paulinho stabbing over Vladimir Stojkovic off a magnificent pass from Philippe Coutinho.
It was Paulinho's eighth goal since Tite took the helm in 2016 and brought his former Corinthians star back into the set-up, with only Neymar and Gabriel Jesus (10) scoring more for Brazil in the same timeframe.
The Barcelona midfielder was replaced by the more defensive Fernandinho in the 66th minute as Serbia went on the attack in a bid to save their World Cup campaign.
But Silva, the former captain who was shunned following Brazil's failure to lift the World Cup on home soil four years ago, wrapped up the win and kept hopes of an unprecedented sixth title alive.
Line-ups
Serbia XI: Vladimir Stojkovic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Antonio Rukavina, Nemanja Matic, Dusan Tadic, Adem Ljajic, Filip Kostic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Milos Veljkovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nikola Milenkovic
Subs: Dusko Tosic, Branislav Ivanovic, Aleksandar Prijovic, Milan Rodic, Luka Milivojevic, Marko Dmitrovic, Uros Spajic, Predrag Rajkovic, Andrija Zivkovic, Nemanja Radonjic, Marko Grujic, Luka Jovic
Brazil XI: Miranda, Willian, Thiago Silva, Fagner, Marcelo, Paulinho, Coutinho, Alisson, Casemiro, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus
Subs: Filipe LuΓs, Renato Augusto, Geromel, CΓ‘ssio, Fernandinho, Taison, Roberto Firmino, Marquinhos, Fred, Ederson
cityforever1987
243
I'm sad for Brazil πthey can't take revenge 1-7 with Germany now. Good luck.
IndikaAsiriSR4
185
Serbia[Serbia][Serbia] Try to Stop Brazil
IndikaAsiriSR4
174
Neymar 2022ππππππ
Green302
166
3 - Philippe Coutinho has been directly involved in three of Brazil's four goals at World Cup 2018 (2 goals, 1 assist). Pinpoint.
Mkuchu
124
2 - Both of Thiago Silva's goals at the World Cup finals have been from corner situations, with both assisted by Neymar (previously v Colombia in 2014). Telepathy.
olamaso
69
19 - Neymar has now been directly involved in 19 goals in his last 18 appearances for the national side (10 goals, 9 assists). Icon.
jaineelbhatt
32
Should Brazil consider swapping goalless Gabriel Jesus with Roberto Firmino? The question that came before the start of game.... Serbia are a very physical side which leaves them exposed to pace and quick feet, perfect for Gabriel Jesus to open his scoring account.... So a right decision by manager
RohanHuri
10
Here we come Mexico get ready for the match coz its Brazil π§π·π§π·π§π·π§π·π§π·π§π·π§π·π§π·πΎπππ°πΈ