Brazil edge gritty Switzerland to gain round of 16 World Cup spot

Resolute Switzerland preserve Brazil at bay for a lot of the match, however Casemiro’s audacious strike breaks the impasse.

Casemiro's aim despatched Brazil followers leaping at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, on November 28, 2022 [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

An outstanding end by Casemiro is sufficient to give Brazil victory over Switzerland and assure a spot within the knock-out levels of the soccer World Cup in Qatar.

Brazil’s coach, Tite, had named 9 forwards to his squad, however it took a defensive midfielder to interrupt the scoreless impasse within the 83rd minute of Monday’s match. Casemiro made an audacious strike from the surface of his boot, which took a tiny deflection off defender Manuel Akanji’s bottom.

The outcome at Stadium 974 means Brazil, five-time world champions, qualify comfortably for the spherical of 16 with a sport towards Cameroon nonetheless to play within the group stage of the match.

Switzerland sit second in Group G after an exhilarating six-goal draw between Serbia and Cameroon earlier within the day left each groups with a degree every.

Brazil ahead Neymar stayed on the staff’s resort, treating a proper ankle damage sustained within the opener towards Serbia. Staff docs haven't but given a timetable for his return – or mentioned if he'll return in any respect. In his absence, former Watford striker Richarlison took centre stage in Brazil’s assault however couldn’t discover a strategy to rating and was substituted for Gabriel Jesus within the 74th minute.

Switzerland managed not a single shot on the right track however have been in a position to preserve Brazil at bay for almost all of the match. The scoreless first half was a reasonably even-handed affair.

Vinicius Jr thought he had given Brazil the lead with a shot from inside the world after a cross by Casemiro within the sixty fourth minute, however a video assessment noticed Richarlison offside within the build-up to the strike.

After Casemiro’s lightning 83rd minute aim, Brazil regarded prone to rating a second – regardless of a short flurried counterattack from the Swiss – as Vinicius Jr tried to tackle Akanji when he might have handed. Moments later, he as an alternative fed a ball to Rodrygo, solely to see the ahead’s shot blocked out for a nook.

Brazil, who haven't misplaced a World Cup group stage sport in 17 matches, are the second staff to qualify for the spherical of 16 after defending world champions France.