Richarlison’s second-half goals earned World Cup favorites Brazil a 2-0 win over Serbia in their Group G opener in Lucille.
The European side pressed the No. 1-ranked team for more than an hour but Vinicius Jr.’s shot was pushed into the path of goalkeeper Vanja Mlinkovic-Savic after the Tottenham forward’s close-range finish.
Richarlison then lit up Qatar’s Lusail Stadium with a stunning strike on the turn that sailed past the Serbian goalkeeper to double the lead. His impressive performances justified his selection as the Brazilian striker ahead of Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus.
Raphinha missed breakthrough chances either side of half-time, shooting over on both occasions, while Alex Sandro’s effort from distance hit the foot of the post as Tite’s side broke down a determined Serbia team. pushed for
Brazil were solid defensively as they extended their unbeaten run in World Cup openers to 20 games. Although there will be bigger tests as the five-time champions look to end their 20-year wait to win the tournament, it has proved to be an impressive start.
How Brazil broke Serbia.
For an hour, Serbia made it difficult. By the end, it was hard to remember that Brazil were so dominant, so great at overwhelming their opponents. As Serbia went in search of goal, space was created for them to exploit.
Vinicius looked very dangerous, causing all sorts of problems. Neymar had his moments, although his injury late in the game remains a major concern. Such is the depth of attacking talent in this squad, however, that there should be a spirit of optimism.
