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Brazil secured a 4-0 win over Chile at the Maracanã in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday night (March 24). Two goals apiece in each half helped the hosts extend their lead at the top of the CONMEBOL qualifying standings.
It was a high-intensity game as Brazil, already assured of a place in the finals at Qatar, refused to be complacent against Chile. The visitors, who lost for the third time in six qualifying matches, can only hope to finish in a playoff spot now.
Neymar Jr. opened the scoring in the 44th minute from the penalty spot and Vinicius Jr. doubled the lead a minute later to put the Selecao in the driver's seat. The second half was a stop-start affair as things got heated with both sides looking to get a grip on the proceedings.
Chile had a goal disallowed for offside and never really bounced back from this blow. Brazil then extended their lead via yet another penalty, with substitute Philippe Coutinho converting from the spot. Richarlison rounded off the scoring by netting in injury time to wrap up a comfortable win.
As Brazil aim to finish their qualifying campaign without a loss, here we take a look at the five talking points from their game against Chile.
#5 Vinicius Junior opens his account for Brazil with a sweet strike
Vinicius Jr. continued his fine goalscoring in the international break as well and scored the second goal of the game. It was a special goal for the Real Madrid forward, as it was his first for Brazil in his 12th match, and because it came at the iconic Maracana.
Vinicius dazzled with his pace throughout the game, was a menace on the left flank and also took his goal extremely well. After receiving a square pass on the left-hand side of the penalty box from Antony, he kept his composure to slip a low shot past Claudio Bravo.
#4 Brazil closing in on the all-time record in the South American qualifiers
The hosts could have sat back and taken a breather in this game, having already secured a place in the World Cup finals. Instead, Brazil fielded a very strong starting XI which resulted in an easy win.
They now have 42 points from their 16 games in the ongoing qualifying campaign, with 13 wins and three draws. The all-time record points tally in a CONMEBOL qualifying campaign is currently held by Argentina, who secured 43 points to qualify for the 2002 World Cup.
Tite's side have undoubtedly been dominant throughout the campaign. Breaking this record in their final match against Bolivia will be a great way for them to sign off. It will also allow them to head into the World Cup finals with their heads held high.
#3 Neymar is a key cog in the wheel for Brazil and needs to remain fit for the World Cup finals
Neymar Jr. returned to the national team after missing out on the January fixtures with injuries with a goal. He shrugged off his poor run of form at Paris Saint-Germain as he calmly converted from the spot in the 44th-minute to give the hosts the lead.
Neymar was easily one of the best players on the pitch in the game and was involved in almost every single attacking play his side put together. He played a role in the second goal as well. When Antony squared the ball in the build-up, Neymar pulled a couple of Chile defenders towards him but let the ball go. It reached Vinicius, who was in a better scoring position.
The Real Madrid man finished with conviction to cap a solid first-half display.
Neymar is one of Brazil's leaders in their current setup but will have to be careful not to reignite an injury over the rest of the year. His presence will be a huge factor in determining how the five-time winners perform at the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
#2 Brazil extend their winning streak in World Cup qualifying games at home to 13
The Selecao have been in great form in World Cup qualifying fixtures and continued that with this win over Chile. Interestingly, it was the fifth occasion in the ongoing campaign in which they have scored at least four goals in a game.
Their previous outing against Venezuela also ended with the same scoreline. They face Bolivia in their upcoming fixture on Tuesday night (March 29) and could easily have another high-scoring outing.
With the 4-0 win over Chile, the hosts have now made it 13 wins in a row at home in World Cup qualifying fixtures. This is longer than any other streak in CONMEBOL history.
They face Bolivia away from home in their final match, so their streak won't extend beyond 13 games in this ongoing campaign.
#1 Brazil's balanced squad delivers the result against an unorganized Chile
Tite opted for a strong starting XI in their final home game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The defensive line had an average age of 30, with the veteran Thiago Silva and the experienced Marquinhos starting once again. On the other hand, the attacking players had an average age of 24, with three of the four players below the age of 25.
The balance between experienced and young players also translated to sucess on the pitch in this game. Silva and Marquinhos were calm and composed in the defensive third while Vinicius and Antony brought about a lot of flair and energy on the flanks.
Chile struggled to contain the explosive duo in attack, with Neymar pulling the strings from the middle. The visitors also failed to make inroads in the final third on a consistent basis, emphasizing the balance the hosts have in their ranks.
Such a well-balanced squad bodes well for the Selecao ahead of the World Cup, which begins in November.
