Four Talking Points From Brazil’s Win Over Austria
Brazil recorded a 3-0 win over Austria on Sunday afternoon in what was their final match before the 2018 World Cup.
Gabriel Jesus sent Brazil ahead with a clever finish in the 36th minute, before Neymar and Philippe Coutinho netted in the second period.
The five-time world champions will open their tournament against Switzerland on June 17, but Austria are now not back in action until September, having failed to qualify for this summer’s competition in Russia.
Below are four talking points from the clash in Vienna.
Brazil in good shape heading into World Cup
According to the bookmakers, Brazil are the favourites for the 2018 World Cup. They are five-time winners of the competition, but have not actually lifted the famous trophy since 2002, which is simply too long for a team of their ilk. The Selecao were knocked out in the quarter-finals of both the 2006 and 2010 competitions, before that famous 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 tournament on home soil.
The mauling by Germany hurt then, and it still does now. It seems incredible that almost four years have passed since that particular match, and there is absolutely no question that Brazil will be fired up to triumph this summer. Argentina had to wait a long time before booking their spot at the 2018 World Cup, but Brazil absolutely breezed through their qualification section.
Tite’s side lost just one of their 18 qualification fixtures, and ultimately finished 10 points clear of second-placed Uruguay. They have not lost since suffering a 1-0 defeat to Argentina in an international friendly last June, and recorded a 2-0 victory over a very strong Croatia side ahead of this match.
Now the serious business begins as Brazil open their Group E campaign against Switzerland on June 17, before taking on Costa Rica and Serbia. Tite has selected a squad full of experience, and the spectacular Neymar has made a timely return from injury. It was not to be four years ago on home soil, but Brazil are in good shape as they look for their first World Cup trophy in 16 years.
Brazil’s defensive record under Tite is very impressive
In their 21 matches since Tite became head coach, Brazil have conceded just five times – keeping 16 clean sheets in the process. There is no question that the absence of Dani Alves through injury is a big one, but in Thiago Silva and Miranda, the South American nation have two centre-backs that know what it is all about at the top level.
Marcelo can then be added into the mix at left-back, with Real Madrid’s outstanding midfielder Casemiro providing the protection further forward. That is without mentioning Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who is currently being coveted by the biggest clubs in European football.
The Selecao will always score goals due to the incredible talent that they can call upon in the final third, with Jesus, Neymar and Coutinho showing as much in Vienna. Liverpool’s outstanding forward Roberto Firmino also played his part as the 26-year-old came off the bench to set up his team’s third of the afternoon.
Forget their options going forward for one moment though; Brazil’s defensive unit is in very good shape ahead of the tournament. The fact that the South Americans could bring on Marquinhos, Fernandinho and Filipe Luis to boost their defensive options in the second period is a further indication of their strength in that particular area of the field.
With respect to Austria – who entered the match in fine form – there will be much tougher tests in the weeks ahead, but Tite deserves enormous respect for Brazil’s defensive record since taking charge of the famous nation in June 2016.
Neymar has well and truly won his fitness battle
Neymar admitted last month that he faced the biggest challenge of his career as he looked to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup. Indeed, the forward missed more than three months of football with an injured foot before returning as a substitute in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Croatia at Anfield on June 3.
The Paris Saint-Germain star was named in the XI against Austria, and it was like he had never been away. Jesus’ goal might have separated the two teams at the interval, but Neymar was in a different league in the first 45 minutes. He tested Austria goalkeeper Heinz Lindner in the 18th minute, before setting up a chance for Paulinho with excellent feet in a tight position late in the first period.
Austria just could not live with the 26-year-old as he continued to drift off the left before receiving the ball and moving it within the space of a second. The skill that Neymar showed before slotting past Lindner for 2-0 was staggering, and his strike saw him move joint-level with Romario on 55 international goals, before leaving the field to a standing ovation in the 84th minute.
Neymar will surely surpass Romario to move out on his own into third in the all-time list during this summer’s competition, and will then have his eyes on second-placed Ronaldo, who managed 62 goals for the famous nation.
The future looks bright for Austria despite three-goal loss
Austria have not been present in the finals of a World Cup since the 1998 competition, and they failed to make it out of the group stages in France. They will also not take part in this summer’s tournament having finished fourth in their qualification group – winning just four of their 10 matches.
The European nation have made huge strides forward since Franco Foda took charge in October 2017, however, and had marched to seven successive victories ahead of this match. Indeed, they beat world champions Germany 2-1 last weekend, and will certainly enter their UEFA Nations League campaign later this year full of confidence following an upturn in form.
Marko Arnautovic has developed into a centre-forward at West Ham United, which is also the position that the 29-year-old is occupying for his nation. That was again the case against Brazil on Sunday afternoon, with Bayern Munich’s David Alaba in a wing-back position. Those two almost combined for the opening goal in the 21st minute, but Arnautovic just could not meet an Alaba cross.
Arnautovic had another half-chance in the 22nd minute as Foda’s side continued to cause Brazil problems in a wide position, but the attacker scuffed over the crossbar from close range. Austria needed their goalkeeper Lindner to keep out drives from Neymar and Philippe Coutinho in the first 25 minutes, but they were more than holding their own against the Brazilians.
Jesus’ goal separated the two teams at the interval, before a wonderful piece of Neymar skill saw the Brazilians make it 2-0 just past the hour mark. It was always going to be tough for Austria to respond as changes from both teams made it a stop-start match, but the European nation - despite giving up a host of chances in the second half - showed enough over the 90 minutes to suggest that they are moving in the right direction.
