Brazil admit toiling at World Cup without injured Neymar

By AFP

DOHA: Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes admitted the World Cup favourites lacked some of their usual verve after they needed a late Casemiro strike to beat Switzerland and secure a place in the last 16.

The five-time World Cup winners knew a second straight win in Group G on Monday would clinch their place in the knockout phase with a game to spare.

But it looked like they would have to settle for a draw until Manchester United’s Casemiro, not known for his goalscoring, popped up with a deflected strike seven minutes from time to seal a 1-0 win.

“It was a really difficult game and a 0-0 suited them, but the most important thing is that we are through,” said Newcastle’s Guimaraes, who came on as a second-half substitute at Doha’s Stadium 974.

He replaced Fred, who was in the starting line-up in the absence of Neymar, sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in Brazil’s opening 2-0 win over Serbia.

“Neymar is such a player, a real star. What team wouldn’t miss him?” he asked.

Despite the absence of Neymar, matchwinner Casemiro believes Brazil are a more complete team now than four years ago, when they crashed out of the World Cup in Russia in the quarter-finals.

“Four years have gone by and there are new players,” said the former Real Madrid star, who was one of the few survivors from a draw with Switzerland in the 2018 group stage.

Tite’s side are yet to concede a goal in Qatar, having let in just five goals in 17 games in South American qualifying.

“Our defenders are more experienced and that is another match with a clean sheet, but it’s not just about Alisson or the back four, it starts from Richarlison up front,” Casemiro said.

“I think we have a wider range of options.”

<br /> DOHA: Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes admitted the World Cup favourites lacked some of their usual verve after they needed a late Casemiro strike to beat Switzerland and secure a place in the last 16.</p> <p>The five-time World Cup winners knew a second straight win in Group G on Monday would clinch their place in the knockout phase with a game to spare.</p> <p>But it looked like they would have to settle for a draw until Manchester United’s Casemiro, not known for his goalscoring, popped up with a deflected strike seven minutes from time to seal a 1-0 win.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“It was a really difficult game and a 0-0 suited them, but the most important thing is that we are through,” said Newcastle’s Guimaraes, who came on as a second-half substitute at Doha’s Stadium 974.</p> <p>He replaced Fred, who was in the starting line-up in the absence of Neymar, sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in Brazil’s opening 2-0 win over Serbia.</p> <p>“Neymar is such a player, a real star. What team wouldn’t miss him?” he asked.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Despite the absence of Neymar, matchwinner Casemiro believes Brazil are a more complete team now than four years ago, when they crashed out of the World Cup in Russia in the quarter-finals.</p> <p>“Four years have gone by and there are new players,” said the former Real Madrid star, who was one of the few survivors from a draw with Switzerland in the 2018 group stage.</p> <p>Tite’s side are yet to concede a goal in Qatar, having let in just five goals in 17 games in South American qualifying.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“Our defenders are more experienced and that is another match with a clean sheet, but it’s not just about Alisson or the back four, it starts from Richarlison up front,” Casemiro said.</p> <p>“I think we have a wider range of options.”<br />