Brazil’s attacking depth has been celebrated in the build-up to the World Cup, but with its leading man sidelined, it was an unlikely source that delivered the breakthrough vs. Switzerland.
Casemiro’s 83rd-minute goal was all Brazil wound up needing, securing a 1–0 victory and a place in the knockout stage, having already beaten Serbia in Qatar and moving to six points in the group. It marks the 14th straight World Cup in which Brazil has advanced to the knockout stage, a statistic reflecting remarkable consistency for a program that is seeking its sixth title.
As Neymar recovers from an ankle injury suffered in that opener, Brazil returned to action against the Swiss with both sides knowing that if there were a victor, that team would punch its ticket to the last 16. Nevertheless, it had been a stalemate for much of the match, with Vinícius Júnior having a second-half goal disallowed by VAR, until Casemiro struck.
