If you watched Brazil’s opening fixture in Group C on Sunday evening/night, you probably felt underwhelmed just like most others did. It took them until the 92nd minute to score the winning goal against Peru, who were on the same level. And Brazil is supposed to be a favorite? They did not show it on that day, but here is why they still are.
1. Brazil are clutch
While you saw the big football nation crumble under pressure at their home World Cup a year ago, things look different now. Playing in Chile, they have a lot less pressure. It showed at opportune times. Neymar’s 1-1 was scored just two minutes after the team fell behind due to a series of horrendous defensive errors (David Luiz, Jefferson). Throughout the game Brazil had chances to put the game away which they wasted. Nevertheless they never stopped, and were rewarded with Douglas Costa’s winning goal in the 92nd minute.
2. Brazil have Neymar
The man of the first group match was inevitably and expectedly him. Barca’s treble winner was part of every dangerous attack, scored the first goal himself and assisting on the late winner. The captain of the team is playing in a different class than everyone else at the moment. Peru could not stop him, but can Venezuela or Colombia? I personally am doubting that a lot and expect Neymar to be the decisive factor on the pitch. If his country goes far, it will be a lot because of him being the focal point of their game.
3. Brazil can bounce back from injury problems
A lot was written and talked about before the tournament even started and one big worry concerning Brazil was all their bad luck concerning injuries. They might be without Diego Alves, Luiz Gustavo and Co. So what? The players that came in did their job more than solid. Dani Alves, a late injury replacement callup by Dunga, played a magnificent game and crossed beautifully for the 1-1 goal. Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, who was supposed to play the main role in Brazil’s creative midfield, missed the first game because of a slight injury or knock as well. Fred, also a late injury replacement filled the void. Maybe not as good as Coutinho himself, but at the end of the day the results are what matters. And Brazil found a way to get it done.
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