The last time Brazil played a Word Cup game without Neymar, they conceded seven goals on one of the darkest night’s in the nation’s footballing (if not their overall) history, so this 1-0 victory over Switzerland was clearly a marked improvement.
If Tite’s men are to lift a sixth World Cup, however, they must do one of two things: learn to cope without their talisman, or hope he returns - and quick.
Robbed of Neymar by an ankle injury suffered in the opening win against Serbia, Brazil needed a late Casemiro strike to finally break through a typically disciplined Swiss side, marshalled by the outstanding Manuel Akanji, the Selecao having been in control throughout but, even with their attacking riches beyond the PSG star, lacking an element of craft.
Tite is optimistic that Neymar will be fit to feature again come the knockout stages, with Brazil having joined France as the second team through to the last-16, though there will not be a great deal of sympathy on offer should that prediction prove optimistic, given the alternatives at his disposal.
Without Neymar for the aforementioned 2014 semi-final against Germany, Brazil were left a front-three of Bernard, Hulk and then-Fluminense striker Fred, a mononymous trio who would each struggle to make this squad. Here, they still had Vinicius Jr., Richarlison and Raphinha from the start, then Antony, Gabriel Jesus and Rodrygo off the bench. Gabriel Martinelli did not even get on.
Quite how Tite might best arrange them to fill the Neymar-shaped void in his attack, however, remains unclear, it eventually falling to holding midfielder Casemiro to pick up the slack.
In seeking to replace his No10, Tite began with the more conservative option, bringing Manchester United’s Fred into midfield and nudging Lucas Paqueta into a slightly more advanced role, but by half time had realised his mistake and sacrificed the West Ham man for another forward in Rodrygo, who eventually made the winner with a delightful touch.
Neymar had hardly been at his best in Brazil’s first game, kicked, quite literally, out of the contest in the end, but his surges on the ball and, in particular, his licence to roam in an otherwise positionally-rigid 4-2-3-1 gave space to the likes of Vinicius and Raphinha and dragged defenders out of shape.
Vinicius was the most obvious victim of Neymar’s absence, struggling as he constantly found himself up against two Swiss markers where one would usually be pre-occupied inside.
💥 Casemiro shatters the deadlock!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 28, 2022
It's a hammer blow to Swiss hopes#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/U9hKhmOHQg
The Real Madrid winger still posed a threat in behind, putting the best chance of the first half too close to Yann Sommer from Raphinha’s ball, then seeing a smart finish disallowed for offside by VAR later on, but he struggled with the ball at his feet up against the tenacious Silvan Widmer.
Tottenham forward Richarlison had scored twice against Serbia and on another night might have repeated that haul here, inches away from connecting with a Paqueta cross before the break and another from Vinicius the other side of it.
The increasingly popular second-game reality check looked to be forthcoming, until Casemiro cut beautifully across Rodrygo’s flick and beat a helpless Sommer with his first World Cup goal.
