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The team performed poorly and lost, but avoided defeat at home
Published on November 19, 2024 at 11:43 pm
Brazil played a tepid game and only drew with Uruguay at Fonte Nova Credit: Paula Fróes/CORREIO
Back in Salvador after five years, the Brazilian team expected to play a great game in the classic against Uruguay, but again presented an uninspired performance and ended up with a 1-1 draw on Tuesday night (19 ), at Arena Fonte Nova, for the 12th round of the South American Qualifiers for the World Cup.
After a first half in which they failed to transform possession into clear chances and were threatened by their rivals, the Canarian team suffered a shock in the first minutes of the second half, when Valverde hit a beautiful shot and opened the scoring. The reaction was quick and, shortly after, Gerson, with a bomb from outside the area, left everything the same. At the end of the match, the athletes were booed by the fans.
The draw in the last game of the season was not good for Amarelinha. The team dropped one place in the Qualifiers table and now occupies 5th place, with 18 points, still within the classification zone. Uruguay remains in second place, with 20.
The team’s next match in the competition will be in March, against Colombia. The duel will be in Brazil, but the location has not yet been defined.
As promised during training in Salvador, Dorival Júnior selected the Seleção with a midfield formed by Bruno Guimarães, Gerson and Raphinha, with Savinho, Vinícius Júnior and Igor Jesus in command of the attack.
With caution, Brazil bet on possession of the ball to dominate their rival. The Brazilian team started the game by building the offensive from the defense, accelerating the play when the ball reached the attacking men.
Uruguay had difficulty threatening the host, but they created the best chances in the first half. Darwin Nuñez made a good move inside the area and passed it to Pellistri, who cleared the marker and shot over the defense. Afterwards, Saracchi sent a cross, but Ederson saved it with his foot.
Brazil was unable to translate midfield control into clear opportunities. Raphinha, in an individual play, took a risk from the edge of the area and scared Rochet, but the ball went out. In the final stretch of the first half, the fans once again encouraged the Seleção. The goal almost came from Igor Jesus’ point-blank header, but the Uruguayan goalkeeper made it 0-0.
The teams came back from the break with more hunger for the game. It didn’t take long and Brazil was punished for the freedom it gave in marking. In the 9th minute, Valverde received the ball at the edge of the area and, without being disturbed, sent a bomb into Ederson’s corner, opening the score for the Uruguayans.
The opponent’s goal fell like a bucket of cold water on the fans’ enthusiasm. Dorival Júnior then made the first changes. Luiz Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli in the seats of Abner and Igor Jesus, respectively. The changes had an effect and Amarelinha reacted quickly.
In the 16th minute, Saracchi tried to cut Raphinha’s cross and the ball fell to Gerson. From the edge of the area, the midfielder hit a beautiful shot and left everything the same at Fonte Nova.
The fans, who were silent, once again supported the national team. But he also asked for the boy Estêvão. Dorival answered and replaced the 17-year-old player with Savinho. Brazil still had chances to score the second, but was lacking in the details.
Vinícius Jr. received the ball deep and tried to dribble past the goalkeeper, but the ball fell by the wayside. Estêvão tried to catch it first time and isolated it. The green and yellow team pressed until the end, but the goal didn’t come and the final result was a bitter draw.
Brazil 1×1 Uruguay – World Cup qualifiers
Brazil: Ederson, Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Abner (Gabriel Martinelli); Bruno Guimarães (André) and Gerson (Paquetá) and Raphinha; Savinho (Estêvão), Igor Jesus (Luiz Henrique) and Vinícius Jr. Coach: Dorival Júnior.
Uruguay: Rochet, Varela, José Gimenez, Olivera and Saracchi; Ugarte, Bentancur and Valverde; Pellistri (Puma Rodríguez), Darwin Núñez (Rodrigo Aguirre) and Araújo (Cristian Olivera). Coach: Marcelo Bielsa.
Goals: Valverde, in the 9th minute of the 2nd half, Gerson, in the 16th
Yellow card: Raphinha, Paquetá, Gabriel Magalhães (Brazil); Ugarte, Varela (Uruguay)
Audience: 41,511 fans
Arbitration: Piero Maza (CHI), assisted by Cláudio Urrutia (CHL) and José Retamal (CHI)
