As it happened: Brazil knock Mexico out of World Cup

Jul 02, 2018

Neymar inspires Brazil to the 2018 World Cup quarterfinals

2018 WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Live reporting by Joseph Kizza

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@joekizza

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FULL TIME - HE HAS DELIVERED. CAN HE KEEP GOING?

(Brazil 2 Mexico 0)

 
Neymar Jr shouldered the weight of expectation of his nation. The former Barcelona FC and current PSG forward has delivered the goods - lifting Brazil two steps closer to the final and potentially winning yet another World Cup.

His fellow giants, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, alongside whom the 26-year-old is talked of in ever glowing and superlative terms, are out of this tournament.

Can Neymar and Brazil go on to do what many had seen them eventually doing - winning the 2018 World Cup?

Next up, they will have to find a way past either Belgium or Japan, who play later this evening.

 

 

 

 

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       FULL TIME - Brazil through, Mexico out


(Brazil 2 Mexico 0)


It is all over. They were expected to do it, and Brazil have done it.

Mexico, on the other hand, are shown the exit door.

 

 

 

 

90min        SIX MINUTES OF ADDED TIME

(Brazil 2 Mexico 0)

We shall have as many as SIX minutes of added time.

That's enough to score two goals, but you just don't see a deflated Mexico side pulling this one off, as captain Andres Guardado is shown the yellow for his visible and audible fit fury.

 

 

 

89min        A first of many to come?

(Brazil 2 Mexico 0)

That was Firmino's first World Cup goal for his nation.

The last time he had scored was against Bolivia in the qualifies.

 

 

 

 

 

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  88min        GOAL! - Fermino (Brazil)


(Brazil 2 Mexico 0)


That was a super substitution!

Hardly three minutes on the pitch, Roberto Firmino scores what is surely the winner for Brazil.

Credit will go to Neymar, who makes a good solo run to finally thread the ball to Firmino, who has only the air between him and the net.

This contest is more than over. Surely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

85min        SUBSTITUTION - Brazil

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

And a final change for the men in yellow and blue.

Roberto Firmino comes on for Coutinho, and the Liverpool FC man trots quickly to defend a corner.

 

 

 

83min        Man down! Man down!

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Brazil's captain Thiago Silva, is down.

Replays show he might have got a knock in the chest while trying to defend a ball in the penalty area against Jesus Gallardo. It looks painful.

Brazil have seven minutes to advance to the quarter-finals.

Mexico have as many minutes to stop them.

 

 

 

80min        SUBSTITUTION - Brazil

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Brazil makes reforms.

Paulinho makes way for Manchester City man Fernandinho as we have 10 minutes left on the clock.

 

 

 

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  76min        YELLOW CARD - Salcedo (Mexico)


(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)


Carlos Salcedo is booked for an offence.

Are the Mexico players getting more and more agitated as the minutes wear off?

 

 

74min        Physical game

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Mexico are ever looking in danger of conceding another goal every time Brazil break.

Once, an altercation sees Neymar roll on the ground in pain after he is apparently stepped on by an opponent on the flank.

The referee consults VAR but eventually, nothing comes out of it and play has to resume.

 

 

 

70min        Livelier half

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

You could say this is a more lively section of the game than the first.

We are seeing more breakthroughs, but the blemish is play has to be brought to a pause every now and then thanks to foul commission.

 

 

 

67min        Deja vu for Mexico?

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Meanwhile, Mexico have lost 26 World Cup games. That is quite many, considering they find themselves on the losing side once again.

But they have 23 minutes to overturn the tables here.

 

 

 

64min        14-game streak

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Brazil do not have their work horse Marcelo, but they have the upper hand here.

The South Americans have not been beaten in 14 successive games since losing to Argentina last year.

 

 

 

61min        CLOSE! - Willian (Brazil)

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

That could have been two for Brazil!

Willian yet again makes a spirited run to breach the Mexican back before letting rip. His goal-bound shot, however, is tipped over by Guillermo Ochoa.

The Mexicans are still in this contest because of their keeper.

 

 

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  59min        YELLOW CARD - Casemiro (Brazil)


(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)


It is two-way traffic as both sides share the ball possession (50%). Meanwhile, Casemiro, who plays for Spanish side Real Madrid, gets his second yellow card of this tournament.

 

 

57min        SUBSTITUTION - Mexico

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Mexico make their second change of the day.

Jonathan dos Santos is on and off comes Edson Alvarez.

 

 

 

55min        Up and running

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

Brazil started the opening half on a sluggish note, but you can tell there is a real sense of urgency from them at the moment.

Neymar and co are looking ever menancing when advancing towards the Mexican final third.

 

 

 

53min        227 goals - and still counting?

(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)

That there was Brazil's 227th World Cup goal. Even Germany can't match that.

 

 

 

 

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  51min        GOAL! - Neymar (Brazil)


(Brazil 1 Mexico 0)


Early pressure pays off. Mexico have been punished.

A counter attack by Brazil has Neymar play in Willian with a deft heel pass. The Chelsea man makes a good run into the box, beating his minders, before threading the ball to meet Neymar.

Great sliding goal.

 

 

 

 



 

47min        GREAT SAVE! - Ochoa (Mexico)

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Brazil have made an enterprising start to this second half.

Neymar is quickly involved here. His corner finds Countinho, whose rasping shot is saved convincingly by Guillermo Ochoa, who has put up a brilliant performance so far.

 

 

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        KICKOFF! - Second half


(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)


Action resumes inside Samara Arena.

Mexico make an early change - Miguel Layun replaces captain Rafael Marquez at the back.

 

 

 

5:54pm        HALF TIME - The stats

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

At the end of this opening half, Brazil have had 49% of the ball versus Mexico's 51%.

Brazil had three shots on goal while Mexico had none. And Seleção registered six shots off target against Mexico's one.

 

 

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       HALF TIME - All even


(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)


Everything to play for but nothing to show for yet.

That's all for the opening half, with both sides all square.

What will Juan Carlos Osorio have to tell his boys in his half time pep talk?

 

 

 

44min        Goalless affair

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

On Sunday, we saw the two knockout games decided by a penalty shootout. Hosts Russia stretched 2010 champions Spain all the way to extra time and then penalties, before knocking them out of the competition.

Later, Denmark took Croatia to the spot kicks after Luca Modric's penalty in extra time was saved. But it was the latter that took the day.

Here in Samara, neither net has been rattled yet. Could this be a repeat of what happened yesterday?

One minute to the break.

 

 

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  42min        YELLOW CARD! - Luis (Brazil)


(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)


With the two sides level, Fillipe Luis is the second player to be shown a yellow card in this game for clattering Carlos Vela.

Can we have some goal under the sweltering temperatures of the Samara Arena?

 

 

 

41min        CLOSE! - Brazil

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

If Mexico are beaten, it will be the seventh consecutive time that they have exited in the last 16 of the World Cup.

At the moment, they are doing a great job of holding out the Brazilians as half time approaches.

 

 

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  38min        YELLOW CARD - Alvarez (Mexico)


(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Edson Alvarez is the first man to go in referee Gianluca Rocchi's book from a clear foul on - guess who? Neymar.

The resulting freekick is, however, lifted over the bar.

Jitters at the Mexican back?

 

 

32min        CLOSE! - Brazil

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Brazil have shed the skin they started this game  in, and are now a completely renewed side.

Another move sees Countinho and Gabriel Jesus involved, but the Mexican goalkeeper produces a fine save to clear.

 

 

 

29min        Great defending by Alvarez

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

That was great defending by Edson Alvarez to stop Neymar in his tracks, as the industrious Brazilian forward makes a dash towards the Mexican goal.

Brazil have better ball possession at the moment.

A little over 50% of it.

Show-offs!

 

 

 

26min        Old-time rivals

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

These two sides are facing each other for the 41st time. The winners in this match will face either Belgium or Japan - who play later today - in the quarter-finals.

 

 

 

24min        Brazil very much alive now

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

It was a slugglish start for Seleção - the men in yellow and blue - but once Neymar Jr gets involved deep in the opposition half, the fans smell first blood.

But good defending makes it impossible for the Brazilian attackers to breach Guillermo Ochoa's goal.

 

 

 

21min        CLOSE! - Mexico

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Another chance begs for taking after Brazil lose the ball inside the Mexican box.

Once the ball finds its way back to the Brazilian side, Andres Guardado tries his chance on goal, but he comes under pressure from Miranda.

 

 

17min        Mexico brighter going forward

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Every time Mexico push towards the Brazilian goal, they look very, very dangerous. Another blistering attack is however put out by the now-disciplined Brazilian back.

 

 

15min        Positive play

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Great ball control by Hirving Lozano, who does well to escape his minder, before slotting the ball into Hernandez's path. The Mexican, however, cannot get there on time.

Great pass still.

 

 

11min        All El Tri

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Up to this point of the game, Brazil have not have a touch in the Mexican box.

So far, Mexico have had three corners - but with no fruits. Javier Hernandez is quite a thorn in the Brazilian wall so far.

 

 

08min        CLOSE! - but offside

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

Mexico are back to some galloping towards the Brazilian goal, and in the process, earn a corner.

The resulting cornerkick is dropped right into the heart of the penalty area, with Javier Hernandez trying to stick out his leg to beat Becker. But the golden-haired Mexican attacker is offside.

 

 

 

 

06min        Brazil's record

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

By the way, Brazil have never lost a World Cup game against a central or north American opponent.

Can Mexico give them a stern test here in Samara?

 

 

04min        Traffic to and fro

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

It is not just Alisson Becker that has been forced into early work between the posts. His opposite, Guillermo Ochoa, is also tested from some good range.

 

 

02min        CLOSE! - Mexico

(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)

It is a great start by Mexico, who get an early corner after Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker is drawn into an early save by Hirving Lozano from close range.

But Seleção, wearing their traditional yellow and blue, extinguish the danger.

 

 

 

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      KICKOFF - Game on!


(Brazil 0 Mexico 0)


Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi's whistle is met with a huge, rousing applause from the stands as this encounter gets underway.

 

 

 

4:57pm        Anthems

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

The two opposing coaches Tite (Brazil) and Juan Carlos Osorio share a warm embrace as the two teams walk onto the pitch for the preliminaries.

Brazil's national anthem first.

Mexico's follows right after.

 

 

 

4:52pm        LINEUPS - Mexico

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

Mexico are going with a 4-3-3 look.

STARTING XI: Ochida, Gallardo, Alvarez, Salcedo, Ayala, Guardado, Marquez (C), Herrera, Lozano, Hernandez, Vela

 

 


4:50pm        LINEUPS - Brazil

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

Brazil will start with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

STARTING XI: Becker, Fagner, Luis (C), Silva, Miranda, Paulinho, Casemiro, Willian, Countinho, Neymar, Jesus

 

 

4:47pm        Samara is alive and waiting

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

Today's clash in a tournament of GIANT suprises is taking place in Samara Arena. We have seen some of the sport's favorite pack their bags and hop on their respective flights back home.

Could we bear witness to yet another 'World Cupset'?

 

 

 

4:45pm        Who will crawl out of this one alive?

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

Two traditional rivals are meeting once again.

This is one of the most common duels in footballing history. But who will do what Spiderman does best - crawl all the way to the top of the World Cup building?

Brazil are pre-tournament favorites, but can they prove the bookmakers right?

 

 

 

4:40pm        A last-eight place at stake

(Brazil v Mexico at 5pm)

Hello and welcome to this live text commentary of today's feature game as Brazil take on Mexico in the 2018 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.

A place in the quarter-finals is up for grabs this evening.

So who will join the likes of France, Uruguay, Russia and Croatia?

We should know by the end of 90 minutes of normal time - or 120 minutes, like we have seen in some thrilling games so far.

 

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