Anyone who watched the Brazilian team’s 1-1 draw against Morocco, in the opening match of the World Cup, must have ended up with the feeling that Vinicius Junior was at ease, and saved the team from the worst result. Raphinha, in turn, seemed isolated, with a slight improvement in the second half.
The heat map of the two players confirms the feeling that the Brazilian team’s main attackers had on the field.
Absolute starters since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Vini Jr. is the right-hander who attacks from the left, and Raphinha, the left-hander who plays from the right. There are attackers with their feet switched, something normal for 9 out of 10 teams around the world.
However, in Brazil’s first clash on American soil, it was clear from the lineup that Raphinha would have difficulties.
Without the attacking full-back Wesley, cut after an injury, Carlo Ancelotti opted to place the defensive Ibañez as Raphinha’s partner on the right side. But the ball (and the game) practically didn’t pass through that side of the attack.
On the map, you can see the redder part of Raphinha, on the left side, when he tried to look for game near Vini. On the right side, there was practically no game.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior led Brazil’s few attacks from midfield, on the left wing — he even came back to help with the marking, when he fouled Hakimi.
After a terrible collective performance in the first half of the opening stage, it was the Real Madrid striker who saved the team with a characteristic play on the left side that ended in a goal, in the 32nd minute, after receiving a pass from Bruno Guimarães.
Raphinha and Vini each had a shot on goal in the first half.
In the second stage, Raphinha’s life on the right side improved a little, mainly with a helping hand from Ancelotti —or was it with a correction to the starting line-up?—, when the manager removed Ibañez to replace Danilo, a Flamengo player.
Finally, the Barcelona player started to play on the right side with more ease, as the strong red spot on the heat map shows.
At 13 minutes, for example, Raphinha took the ball from the midfielder in a play that ended up being intercepted.
Shortly after, at 16 minutes, a new change pushed Raphinha a little more to the center and forward, almost like a center forward, when Luiz Henrique came in to play on the right side and Matheus Cunha started to occupy a more central lane, arriving behind the attackers.
In turn, Vini continued to be Vini. His second-half heat map is almost a copy of the initial stage, with the player always forcing plays on the left side — and gaining a little more depth.
At 32 minutes the best move occurred, when Vini took off and crossed for Raphinha to finish first, inside the area — the shot was weak, however, easily saved by the Moroccan Bono.
In the end, the conclusion is that Vini saved himself by doing what he always does. And Raphinha needs to find a friend on the right side, or his ownership could be at risk.
