Brazil topped Group F of FIFA World Cup 2022. AP
Brazil have made it to the last 16 stage of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 as the Group G table toppers. They did have a minor hiccup in the last game against Cameroon as the African nation registered a stunning win but that shouldn’t bother coach Tite and his players a lot.
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If anything, the Cameroon game was a display of Brazil’s depth and squad strength. Having already qualified with back-to-back wins over Serbia and Switzerland, Brazil didn’t want to risk any more injuries. Neymar is already out of action currently with an ankle injury and it’s still not confirmed if he will be back for the last 16 match vs South Korea or not.
Only two from the last game against Switzerland started the Cameroon match, World Cup debuts were handed out by Tite and yet Brazil registered 21 shots, seven of them on target.
Their biggest worry, however, will be failing to convert the chances and not the defeat to Cameroon, even though it was their first loss at a World Cup group stage since 1998. The same was the case against Switzerland, only one goal was scored in absence of Neymar. Casemiro’s incredible effort saved the day but Richarlison and Vinicius Junior missed some easy chances. Richarlison scored two against Serbia in the opener and Tite will hope he finds his scoring touch when he returns to the starting XI against South Korea.
So far Brazil have only conceded one goal in three matches and this robustness at the back has been the foundation of their victories and the same should be the case going forward.
Switzerland shine in Qatar
Switzerland continue to do better at football’s biggest tournaments. The Swiss team has now reached the knockout rounds of every World Cup or European championship since 2014. Their biggest challenge however will be to make it to the quarter-finals.
Switzerland, who have not reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 1954, face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the last 16 tie. Their mantra for that knockout game should be what has taken them so far, express themselves on the pitch and play with freedom.
After beating Cameroon, Switzerland lost to Brazil but they made it extremely difficult for the five-time World Champions to find the net. Only one goal, in the end, proved to be the difference as Switzerland put forward an excellent defensive performance in the middle to neutralise Brazil’s passing, forcing them to take the game to the flanks.
Against Serbia, Switzerland were in attacking mode as they scored three to seal a knockout round spot. With a good mix of attack and defence, Portugal are surely going to be challenged to the hilt by the Swiss team.
Cameroon leave with unforgettable memories
With Brazil and Switzerland in the group, Cameroon’s chances of qualifying to the last 16 stage were always seen as an impossible task, but to their credit, the African team has done enough to remember the 2022 tournament for a long time.
After all, they are the first African side to defeat Brazil in a World Cup.
Not only that, with their comeback 3-3 draw against Serbia they also ended their eight-match losing streak at the World Cup. Clearly, a campaign to remember.
Serbia disappoint
The most disappointing side in Group G was Serbia.
After securing an automatic qualification to the World Cup the Dragan Stojkovic-coached side was expected to do a lot better than two defeats and one draw. The defence proved to be their Achilles heel as they conceded eight goals in three games, finishing bottom of the standings.
Strikers Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic who have been doing well for Fulham and Juventus respectively were expected to be the stars of their campaign but even this didn’t work for them. The strikers started only one game together, scoring each in the 3-2 defeat to Switzerland that sealed their fate.
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