Brazil defeats Serbia at the World Cup thanks to a Richarlison double

• Brazil defeated Serbia 2-0 in their opening World Cup game on Thursday at the Lusail Stadium thanks to a brace from Richarlison in the second half
• It included an incredible aerial scissor kick
• Brazil are the clear favourites to win the tournament

The five-time record champions struggled at times in the first half but improved after the interval, and they were rewarded when Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur scored the game’s opening goal in the 62nd minute after an effort by Vinicius Junior was saved.

In the 73rd minute, Richarlison scored again thanks to a fantastic acrobatic effort by Vinicius that is unquestionably the best goal of the World Cup thus far.

The outcome maintains Brazil’s outstanding performance in the World Cup group stage, when their most recent loss occurred against Norway in 1998 after they had already qualified for the knockout stages.

Brazil’s opponents in the next matchup will be Switzerland, who earlier defeated Cameroon 1-0. Tite’s team currently leads Group G.

Brazil is keen to do far better than four years ago, when they fell to Belgium in the quarterfinals, when they tied the score here when these teams played in the group stage.

Twenty years after their previous triumph, they have arrived in Qatar as the favourites for a sixth championship.

Other outcomes from the opening round of games in Qatar provided as a warning, with Germany being startled by Japan and their fierce rival Argentina losing shockingly to Saudi Arabia at the same stadium.

Serbia, who is ranked 21st in the FIFA rankings, is one of Europe’s most improved teams, and they won their qualifying group ahead of Portugal, so Brazil would have known not to take them lightly.

Yet, for Brazil to lose at a location where they hope to return for the final on December 18 would have been a tremendous upset.

Neymar supported Richarlison as Raphinha and Vinicius filled the flanks, Lucas Paqueta brought inventiveness in the centre of the field, and Tite fielded a very attack-minded team.

The most expensive player in the world, Neymar, started the game with just two goals needed to match Pele’s all-time record total of 77 goals for Brazil, but he will have to wait a bit longer to earn them.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar came near to scoring directly from an early corner that would have lifted the roof at the majestic Lusail Stadium, where the fans were packed with yellow and green, but Serbia did their best to frustrate him.

Acrobatic

The best Brazilian plays in the first half came when Raphinha played a one-two with Paqueta before his effort was stopped and when Thiago Silva’s defense-splitting pass found Vinicius in the box but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic denied the Real Madrid player.

Within a minute of the game’s restart, Barcelona winger Raphinha was once more engaged when he pursued Nemanja Gudelj out of possession but was once more denied by the goalie.

However, shortly after the hour mark, Serbia’s defence was shattered.

Two minutes after Alex Sandro’s warning shot off the upright with his left foot, the goal was scored.

Neymar set up Vinicius for a shot that Milinkovic-Savic blocked, but Richarlison followed in to score after the ball broke.

Dusan Vlahovic, the dynamic Juventus striker who had been dealing with an injury, was introduced as a response by Serbia.

However, Brazil had now regained their footing, and when the second goal finally arrived, it was deserving of the grandest stage.

Richarlison controlled a cross from Vinicius with the outside of his right boot before turning around and leaping to score with an incredible acrobatic attempt.

Although Casemiro’s shot off the crossbar may have given Brazil a larger lead, this was still a very encouraging start.

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