Home ›› 13 Nov 2021 ›› Sport
Lucas Paqueta’s instinctive strike gave Brazil a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Colombia on Thursday to book their place at Qatar 2022.
The five-time world champions join the hosts and Europeans Germany and Denmark as early qualifiers for next year’s finals.
The have produced a near perfect qualifying campaign, winning 11 of 12 matches -- their only blemish a goalless draw in Colombia last month -- to qualify with six games to spare.
“This is the fruit of the work we’ve been building for some time. Now I have to keep working hard to find my space,” said the match-winner.
Brazil were made to graft as Colombia had the better of the first half, but an attacking tactical switch from coach Tite at half-time paid dividends as the Selecao dominated after the break.
Brazil struggled to create any notable chances in the first-half with Paqueta’s shot from outside the box easily gathered by David Ospina and Neymar’s free-kick blocked by the wall.
Tite was unimpressed with what he saw in the first half and swapped midfielder Fred for winger Vinicius Junior.
They were on the front foot with Gabriel Jesus, who hasn’t scored for Brazil in 17 matches, testing Ospina with a low effort, before the goalkeeper then tipped a Neymar free-kick around the post.
When the goal came on 72 minutes it was beautifully orchestrated as Marquinhos fired a pass from halfway into Neymar, whose first-time ball found Paqueta to hit an instant shot under pressure from two defenders that seemed to catch out Ospina.
Spain pounce on Sweden shock
Spain took a huge step towards next year’s World Cup in Qatar as a 1-0 win in Greece coupled with Sweden’s shock 2-0 defeat to Georgia on Thursday put Luis Enrique’s men in pole position to qualify.
Pablo Sarabia’s penalty proved enough for La Roja to take all three points in Athens and move a point above Sweden ahead of a winner-takes-all clash between the sides in Seville on Sunday.
“Of coure I think we are going to have a place in the World Cup come Sunday, but I already thought that when we were second in the group,” said Spain boss Luis Enrique.
“We are playing against a good team that will, in theory, have to attack more against us now.”
Portugal held by Ireland
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to fire a lacklustre Portugal as they had to hold on for a 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin after a late red card for Pepe.
Ronaldo twice came closest to breaking the deadlock for the visitors as he headed inches wide before also failing to hit the target with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
Pepe was shown the 14th red card of his career eight minutes from time for elbowing Callum Robinson.
Stephen Kenny’s men were denied a famous win in stoppage time when Matt Doherty’s strike was ruled out for a foul on Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
“We scored a legitimate goal that was disallowed,” said Ireland coach Kenny.
