Brazil beat Paraguay 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Asuncion on Tuesday, thanks to Neymar’s early strike and Lucas Paqueta’s late goal.
Brazil hadn’t beaten Paraguay away from home since 1985, but that record appeared to be jeopardised as early as the third minute. Neymar controlled an unusual cross from Gabriel Jesus and side-footed it from eight metres.
Paris Saint-Germain Had Four Goals
The striker for Paris Saint-Germain had four goals and three assists in five qualifying games. The best total in the tournament, and the goal was his 66th in 105 games for Brazil.
Defender Marquinhos explicated that, “It was a game where we scored early in the first half and that really settled us down and allowed us to play the ball about and Paraguay had to chase the game and we killed it right at the end.”
Brazil Were On Top
Brazil were on top throughout, and should have added to their tally before Paqueta scored with a brilliant left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the fourth minute of injury time.
In the South American qualifiers, Paraguay went undefeated in five games. They rarely threatened the visitors. When they did, Ederson, a surprise choice to replace Alisson Becker in goal, was up to the task, with one spectacular save from Omar Alderete.
Brazil’s fifth clean sheet in six games gives them their best start to a World Cup qualifying campaign since 1969. When they won their first six games as well.
With a maximum of 18 points, they would lead the South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022. The top four teams qualify for Qatar automatically. The fifth-place team competes in an intercontinental playoff.
Marquinhos elucidated “We knew how difficult it would be to come here,”,”We’re ecstatic to have pulled away from the table’s second-placed team.”
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