The 6-2 win against Panama in the friendly in Rio de Janeiro, farewell to the Brazilian team and the fans who will remain on national soil during the World Cup, was very welcome for Carlo Ancelotti.
Have you ever wondered if Brazil can’t win at Maracanã, and well, against a team that, despite having qualified for the World Cup, is far behind in the FIFA rankings (33rd place, while the Brazilian team is in 6th) and is only the fourth force in its region, behind Mexico, USA and Canada?
There would be a storm of criticism, which the wide scoreboard tried to turn into a breeze. Because even in a 6-2 there are some points of concern to be addressed. It’s not pessimism, wanting to find flaws in a generally adequate performance. It’s realism.
Panama is far from being a Spain, an Argentina, a France, a Germany, but it did more than expected in the first half, when Brazil played with the best it had and, from the middle forward, with the likely starting team in its World Cup debut, on the 13th (Saturday), against Morocco, in the USA.
After the lightning goal scored by Vinicius Junior, at 59 seconds, the team was unable to impose itself at Maracanã with more than 70 thousand fans encouraging against a Panama that does not have a single player playing in the biggest European leagues. With all due respect to them, they are nobodies on the top floors of the playground.
We really must respect them, as they have toughened up the friendly game. They drew a free kick in which they counted on luck – the deflection on Matheus Cunha deceived Alisson – and acted as equals, with someone from Globo’s narration team (Everaldo Marques, Maestro Júnior or Denílson Show) saying “I’m going to keep it quiet, but Panama is better”.
Near the end of the stage, Brazil found a goal: Casemiro, with a header. At the right time to avoid likely boos on the way to half-time from the always demanding Brazilian fans, who, rightly so, want to see the team playing well, or, if not, at least winning. That was the case.
In the second half, with almost the entire team moving – only defender Léo Pereira remained, as Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães did not have time to introduce themselves due to their presence in the Champions League final, the day before –, we saw another Brazil. Improved.
The kid Rayan, 19, who came in from the right in place of a dull Luiz Henrique, scored a beautiful goal, with a shot from no angle, with a high level of difficulty, with a Panamanian mistake as the ball came out on the left of the defense.
Danilo Santos, Bruno Guimarães’ replacement, another on duty in the first half, also saved his, receiving a pass from Lucas Paquetá in the area, dominating with style, turning his body and shooting into the corner. He had already performed very well and scored a goal in the previous friendly, against Croatia.
Paquetá himself and center forward Igor Thiago also scored, with a penalty that he conceded in a play in which he put the ball between the legs of a defender before being brought down by the goalkeeper.
Four of the six goals came in the second half, with the changed team. Also counting on another kid, Endrick, 19, the offensive movements flowed with more ease.
A discussion until the next friendly, against Egypt on Saturday (6), in Cleveland, will be about the below-desired performance in the first half, with starters, and the rise in the second, with substitutes. Danilo Santos, in particular, is asking for a place in the starting lineup.
Ancelotti will get days off from the overdosed Neymar, and he should be happy with that. And there will be a problem, that of having to rethink the team. Less bad than, due to the outstanding performances of those who entered, it is a good problem.
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