Brazil beat Serbia, meet Mexico

AGENCIES

 

MOSCOW

Brazil scored a facile 2-0 win over Serbia to top group E and set up a knock out encounter against Mexico in the FIFA World Cup in Moscow on Wednesday.

Gabriel Jesus pressured early for Brazil, getting free on the left-hand side only to be denied by on-rushing goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic in the fourth minute.

Brazil suffered a massive setback in the 10th minute, when left back  Marcelo was forced out of the match with an injury. He was replaced by Filipe Luis.

Brazil continued to push despite Marcelo’s absence, and Neymar nearly struck in the 25th minute. Gabriel Jesus managed to squeeze the ball through a defender, where Neymar latched onto it at the near post. He took a blast trying to tuck it in the far post from an acute angle, but Stojkovic got enough of a hand on it, to tip it over.

Brazil took the lead lead in the 35th minute, and it came through Paulinho. The Barcelona midfielder ran onto a wonderful pass over the top from his club teammate Philippe Coutinho and flicked a low lob over the onrushing Stojkovic to make it 1-0.

Neymar nearly made it 2-0 in sensational fashion in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. He had the space to fire a curling blast from 20 yards and very nearly picked out the opposite upper 90, only to have it curl wide of the post.

Brazil pushed for a second as the second half began, and the goal and Neymar was at it again. Coutinho played a great ball into space for Neymar, who ran onto it and carried toward goal on the right-hand side. Stojkovic made a reflex kick save.

The Serbians nearly got their lifeline when Alisson came off his line for a cross and mishit his punch. It fell right to Aleksandar Mitrovic, who headed down but hit it right at the Brazilian goalkeeper, who easily saved.

Mitrovic had another chance in the 65th minute when he sized up a header off a cross from the right, but again he headed it down right at Alisson, who calmly saved.

Serbia was left to rue those missed opportunities, as Brazil doubled its lead minutes later. It came off a corner kick, with veteran center back Thiago Silva heading home to make it 2-0.

Stojkovic kept it at 2-0 in the 86th minute on a fluke play, when Neymar ran onto a deflected ball and tried to score from point-blank range on a lofted finish, only for the goalkeeper to swat his chance away.