Brazil and Serbia were the last two sides to play their first match at the World Cup, and while it was one-way traffic for a considerable amount of time, it took over an hour for the breakthrough to register. But once it did, it was emphatic.
Richarlison’s double lifted Brazil to a 2–0 victory, with his second goal coming in sensational fashion. The first was on a boilerplate rebound of a saved shot. His brace was secured in considerably more difficult fashion, as he volleyed a cross up for himself only to scissor kick it home for a strike that will surely be a goal-of-the-tournament contender—if not a Puskas Award contender as well.
The result as is would be good enough to have the Seleção edge Switzerland atop Group G after the Swiss beat Cameroon by a 1–0 scoreline earlier in the day.
The matchup pitted two of the tournament’s most intriguing sides against each other. On the one side, there was top-ranked Brazil, which last won the World Cup 20 years ago and desperately seeks its sixth title with a squad that is overflowing with attacking options. Neymar remains chief among them, and he enters the World Cup two goals shy of Pelé’s all-time national men’s scoring record (77).
On there other side, there’s a Serbia team that also boasts a wealth of talent on its front line, although injury questions surround Juventus star Dušan Vlahović and Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrović, with only the latter starting Thursday. Their effectiveness will likely determine how far Serbia can go in a group that features three teams that were also grouped together in Russia. When Brazil and Serbia last met, four years ago in Moscow, it was the Seleção that took a 2–0 win.
Neymar was front and center at the start of their rematch. He is no stranger to being subjected to physical play, and it became apparent Serbia would feature more of the same, with the PSG star chopped down on a strong tackle five minutes in and then part of a physical confrontation by the sideline that resulted with his shirt getting pulled over his head.
He nearly exacted a measure of revenge a few minutes later when he got possession inside the Serbian box, but a swarming defense prevented him from getting a shot on frame.
Neymar remained at the heart of the action, trying an Olimpico on a 13th-minute corner kick that forced Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić punch the attempt over the bar.
Milinković-Savić was forced into a more standard save in the 21st minute, when Casemiro had a go from distance, only to direct his blast right at the keeper.
Brazil maintained the pressure from there, with Thiago Silva playing Vinícius Júnior into the box, only for the Real Madrid star to lose the footrace with the onrushing Milinković-Savić.
Lucas Paquetá and Raphinha then combined on a beautiful sequence, with the latter’s cross from in deep unable to get by the goalkeeper.
Raphinha nearly scored in the first minute of the second half off a gift from Milinković-Savić. His distribution out of the back immediately set the Barcelona winger up for a clear look inside the box, but he recovered in time to make the massive save and keep Brazil off the board.
Yet another chance fell Raphinha’s way a few minutes later, but just when it looked like he’d have the chance to fire away, Strahinja Pavlović, the bright young defender (and one of SI’s top 22 players under 22 to watch at this World Cup), made an immaculate sliding tackle to prevent the chance.
Serbia kept living dangerously at the hour mark, when Alex Sandro absolutely ripped a shot from long range, only to have it clang off the post.
At long last, the resistance broke in the 63rd minute. After Neymar’s possession fell to Vinicius in the box, the Real Madrid winger curled a chance on frame that was saved, but the rebound fell right to Richarlison at the goalmouth, and the Tottenham forward didn’t miss, finishing into the vacated net.
Richarlison did himself one better to double Brazil’s lead, taking a direct feed from Vinicius and turning into a human highlight reel to score the goal that secured the three points
Here were the lineups for both sides:
Full World Cup Squads
Brazil
GOALKEEPERS: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)
DEFENDERS: Dani Alves (Pumas), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Marquinhos (PSG), Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Alex Telles (Sevilla)
MIDFIELDERS: Casemiro (Manchester United), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Lucas Paquetá (West Ham), Éverton Ribeiro (Flamengo)
FORWARDS: Antony (Manchester United), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Neymar (PSG), Pedro (Flamengo), Raphinha (Barcelona), Richarlison (Tottenham), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
COACH: Tite
Serbia
GOALKEEPERS: Marko Dmitrović (Sevilla), Vanja Milinković-Savić (Torino), Predrag Rajković (Mallorca)
DEFENDERS: Srđan Babić (Almeria), Strahinja Eraković (Red Star Belgrade), Filip Mladenović (Legia Warsaw), Nikola Milenković (Fiorentina), Stefan Mitrović (Red Star Belgrade), Strahinja Pavlović (Salzburg), Miloš Veljković (Werder Bremen)
MIDFIELDERS: Marko Grujić (Porto), Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla), Ivan Ilić (Hellas Verona), Filip Kostić (Juventus), Darko Lazović (Hellas Verona), Saša Lukić (Torino), Nemanja Maksimović (Getafe), Sergej Milinković-Savić (Lazio), Uroš Račić (Braga), Andrija Živković (PAOK Thessaloniki)
FORWARDS: Filip Đuričić (Sampdoria), Luka Jović (Fiorentina), Aleksandar Mitrović (Fulham), Nemanja Radonjić (Torino), Dušan Tadić (Ajax), Dušan Vlahović (Juventus)
