Brazil’s younger ahead line went into this Copa América going through an enormous query: How would they cope in opposition to cautious opponents who defend deep and deny them the area to launch the counter assault?
The reign of coach Dorival Junior acquired off to a powerful begin again in March with a win away to England and an thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain. However these have been wildly untypical of a lot of the matches that Brazil play — and particularly completely different from Dorival’s aggressive debut in opposition to Costa Rica. In entrance of their very own followers, England and Spain pushed ahead. Brazil may sit again and select the second to spring ahead. This was clearly not going to occur in opposition to Costa Rica.
Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro is a wonderful organiser of a defensive unit. His Costa Rica have been clearly going to take few possibilities, they usually counted on an vital ally — the dimensions of the Inglewood pitch.
The enjoying surfaces used on this Copa are smaller than these for traditional FIFA tournaments. This topic has grow to be one thing of a Brazilian obsession within the match construct up, since their apparent conclusion is that the smaller the pitch, the more durable it turns into for them to play their method via the opposition.
The sport in opposition to Costa Rica, then, had Brazil trapped in a non-public nightmare. They have been anticipated to roll over their CONCACAF rivals with ease. Probabilities got here and went. There have been penalty appeals. Marquinhos had the ball within the web, solely to have the objective dominated out for a slim offside. Up within the stands, Neymar watched in growing frustration as possibilities have been spurned. A few of that frustration was felt on the sector. Brazil have been often petulant, generally rushed. There was an absence, for instance, of the calm high quality with which, earlier within the day, James Rodríguez had arrange Colombia’s opening objective in opposition to Paraguay.
This time not even the introduction of teenage supersub Endrick may save the day. And so Dorival Junior’s first aggressive sport in command of Brazil resulted in a disappointing 0-0 draw, and Costa Rica, who posed no risk all through the sport, celebrated wildly on the ultimate whistle.
How a lot blame ought to be laid on the door of Dorival?
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
On one other day, the identical stage of efficiency would have caused a cushty win. However there have been issues — the obvious within the crew choice. In opposition to such defensive opponents, did Brazil really want each Bruno Guimarães and João Gomes within the centre of midfield?
João Gomes was great at Wembley, making his worldwide debut in March, when he snapped into tackles and stored the English at bay. Right here he was in all probability superfluous. Centre backs resembling Marquinhos and Éder Militão hardly required the extent of safety that he provides. It was hanging that he was eliminated solely inside the ultimate 10 minutes, as a result of the answer is so apparent; drop Lucas Paquetá to the central midfield position that he has usually performed for Brazil.
Paquetá is at his greatest enjoying entrance to objective, the place he’s greatest capable of distribute the play. Additional ahead in such a video games, there’s the added drawback of Paquetá and Rodrygo competing for a similar area. Dorival Junior, then, can anticipate the primary heavy bombardment of criticism in his time as Brazil coach, each for having chosen a crew that was too cautious after which for ready too lengthy to alter the stability.
Copa América 2024: Options and response
Maintain updated with all the outcomes, information protection and tales on the largest names and groups in the USA because the match progresses. Copa América 2024
Rodrygo, although, was in all probability the brightest spark of the efficiency. For years Brazil have harboured huge hopes of the cell, clever and gifted Actual Madrid attacker, and he constantly discovered other ways to bother the Costa Rica defence. His membership partnership with Vinícius Júnior, although, didn’t actually fireplace. It was a disappointing night time for Vinicius, who gave strategy to Endrick with simply over 20 minutes remaining. That is his first match as Brazil’s senior attacker, however the one-against-one expertise weren’t on present in opposition to the Costa Ricans, who managed to keep away from defeat to Brazil for the primary time since beating an experimental facet within the Pan-American Video games of 1960.
Brazil may desire to dwell on more moderen occasions. Within the 2016 Copa Centenario, Brazil demolished their CONCACAF opponents, cruising to a 7-1 win over Haiti. It did them little good. They failed to attain in opposition to their South American group rivals, drawing 0-0 with Ecuador and dropping 1-0 to Peru. Their destiny on this yr’s group section can even be outlined by ends in the matches in opposition to CONMEBOL groups. Later down the road come the damaging Colombia. However first, Paraguay, a facet whose conventional resilience proved an excessive amount of for Brazil within the Copas of 2011 and 2015. Maybe Friday’s Las Vegas venue will encourage Dorival Junior to gamble on a much less cautious line up.
