Brazil 1-0 Switzerland: 5 hits and flops as Seleção Canarinho go through to Round of 16 | 2022 FIFA World Cup
Brazil booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup following a narrow 1-0 win against Switzerland at Stadium 974 on Monday.
It was Switzerland who made the better start, dominating possession and pushing forward in numbers to try and keep Brazil at bay. Both teams probed at each other's backlines but couldn't find a way to trouble the goalkeepers.
The game's first big chance fell to Brazil close to the half-hour mark when Raphinha's cross found Vinicius Junior at the back post. The Real Madrid winger, however, could not find the right connection as the ball bounced off his knee instead of his foot into the hands of the 'keeper.
Vinicius Junior was also involved in his team's next good chance, this time playing the role of a creator by firing a great cross towards Richarlison, who failed to get his effort on target. The 22-year-old thought he broke the deadlock in the 64th minute but his joy was shortlived as VAR intervened and chalked off the goal.
The contest looked to be heading towards a stalemate when Casemiro found the back of the net with a fizzing half-volley that flew past a stranded Yann Sommer and sealed all three points for the South American side.
Thiago Silva after Casemiro's stunner 🥺 https://t.co/YEhrQ7pg1F
On that note, here are five hits and flops from Brazil's 1-0 defeat of Switzerland:
#1. Hit: Casemiro | Brazil
Casemiro was tasked with the role of shielding his defense and letting those ahead of him try and break the resolute Swiss backline. He was central to his team's control of possession, momentum and the pace of the game.
When the match looked to be heading towards a stalemate, he brought joy to the Brazilian fans by assisting Vinicius Jr. with a perfectly-weighted pass before VAR ruled out the goal as Richarlison was offside in the build-up. The Manchester United midfielder then took matter into his own hands as he broke forward and finished with style to give his side all three points.
1 x 0 
SABE DE QUEM??????
@Casemiro!!!!!!
🇧🇷 1 x 0 🇨🇭
VAMOS, BRASIL!!! https://t.co/P0r1PlpNU9
#2. Flop: Richarlison | Brazil
While Richarlison was central to all the good things Brazil produced against Serbia, he failed to make a mark against Switzerland. It was not all down to him though, as the Swiss players kept a close eye on his movement and starved him of service.
The 25-year-old almost cost his team a win when he strayed offside in the build-up to Vinicius Jr's that was ruled out by VAR before Casemiro settled nerves by scoring the match's only goal. Richarlison never looked likely to find the back of the net and was replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
#3. Hit: Manuel Akanji | Switzerland
If Richarlison had a rough night, it was mainly, if not mostly, due to Manuel Akanji's performance. The defender kept a close watch on the Tottenham Hotspur player's movements and didn't give him and his teammates, space to play their intricate passes.
He recorded 89 touches, made 67 accurate passes with an 85.9% pass accuracy, and put in three tackles while making as many clearances. A solid effort from the Manchester City player.
You are witnessing an Manuel Akanji masterclass against Brazil https://t.co/zBR8JPn7PT
#4. Flop: Lucas Paqueta | Brazil
Like a lot of his teammates, Lucas Paqueta was immense against Serbia and looked lost against Switzerland. He made a few nice passes and tried to find space to drive his team forward, but made no impact on the proceedings. He was, unsurprisingly, taken off at half-time as Tite looked to inject more industry into the midfield.
#5. Hit: Antony | Brazil
Antony entered the pitch in the 73rd minute and caused more trouble to the Swiss defense than Raphinha, the player he replaced. He looked motivated and did not waste his chances when on the ball, be it with simple passes, long balls, or from set-pieces.