I don’t give much importance to the results of friendlies. I consider them tests for coaches to field different players and watch them. Win, draw, lose? It’s not substantial, it’s not a championship match.
However, Brazil’s 3-1 win over Croatia, the last game before the five-time champion team was called up for the World Cup, convinced me that at certain times a friendly has relevance and, more than that, power.
Power to quickly modify a taken-for-granted scenario. Power to assertively determine athletes, previously mere possibilities, for the list of those who need to be called up for the World Cup that starts in June.
After the 2-1 defeat to France, days before, pessimism prevailed in the evaluations regarding the team led by Carlo Ancelotti.
It could have been: even with an extra player since the beginning of the second half, Brazil conceded another goal and only reduced it, with tremendous difficulty, with a defender (Bremer) who ventured into the attack. Worrying.
However, the triumph against the tormentor in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup was enough for everything to change and optimism to be reborn, for confidence to rise wildly at minimum levels. Viralism became pachequism.
I remain cautious regarding the selection. Has the team improved compared to what it presented against France? Yes, but nothing very auspicious.
Two of the chances created in the first half (I counted five, including the goal by Danilo Santos, whose excellent performance ensures he will go to the World Cup) originated from – surprising – mistakes by the star and captain Modric, 40.
In the second half, even though they seemed to have the game under control, Brazil was unable to be dangerous and expand. Result: in a counterattack, with a joint failure by Marquinhos, Danilo and (mainly) goalkeeper Bento, Croatia equalized in the 39th minute.
But so what? There was a reaction, with two goals and a convincing victory, right? No. The 2-1 came from a penalty on Endrick, which didn’t exist for me (commentator Eric Faria, from SporTV, thought the same). By conceding this goal, Croatia took the lead, and the 3-1 came on a well-executed counterattack.
The first goal also came from a counterattack (Matheus Cunha to Vini Jr., Vini Jr. to Danilo Santos), after an unsuccessful Croatian corner. Brazil is strong when counterattacking and suffers when it needs to propose, create and work on plays. Creativity and boldness in short supply.
With one exception: Luiz Henrique. The former Botafoguense, “forgotten” in Russia and remembered by Ancelotti, honored the tradition of Brazilian football by attacking the French and Croatians from the right wing. Faced with closed defenses, dribbling and irreverence are necessary.
He became a consensus, loved by the media and fans. They can’t miss the World Cup and, following this trend, they have to play as much as possible.
Substitutes Endrick, who suffered a penalty and assisted the third goal, Igor Thiago, coolly converting the maximum penalty, and Gabriel Martinelli, accurate in finishing the final counterattack with his left-hander (even though he was right-handed), in five minutes became, if not indispensable, categorical names for the World Cup.
Sometimes, a friendly match does have power. Including “deidolatizing” Neymar. Malemá, you can win without him.
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