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Hosts Brazil set pace with a fine 3-0 victory against Bolivia in the 2019 Copa America curtain-raiser. A clinical Phillippe Coutinho double and a late belter from Everton off the bench sealed the Group A tie for Tite’s men.
Despite the fact that the Selecao were not fully at the races, they eased past a resolute Bolivian side. While Brazil struggled to break down the 62nd-ranked outfit in the first 45 minutes, VAR came to their rescue as Coutinho coolly converted from the spot.
Three minutes later, the former Liverpool duo of Firmino and Coutinho reignited their telepathic connection from their time at Anfield to hand a two-goal cushion to their side as the Barcelona man headed it in from close quarters.
Everton showed no signs of nerves as the 23-year old netted a sublime strike from outside the box to gloss over Brazil’s display.
While this was far from a vintage Brazil performance, Tite and Co. would be all smiles after making easy work of Bolivia, who had set up with two banks of four.
#1 VAR saved Brazil’s blushes
Bolivia were making life difficult for the Samba Boys’ ferocious front four to split open their defence and kickstart proceedings in the first-half. Eduardo Villegas’ men were extremely well-drilled in a sturdy shape which forced Brazil to take on the aerial route in which Felipe Luis and Dani Alves were drilling crosses, left, right and center to no avail.
After Richarlison’s shot struck Adrian Juniso’s arm in an unnatural position, Nestor Pitana, the referee who officiated the World Cup 2018 final used his experience to take his time and repeatedly reviewed the action before awarding a penalty to the Brazilians.
#2 Coutinho stars in Brazil’s glory
The much-maligned Phillippe Coutinho rose from the ashes to steal the headlines for all the right reasons against Bolivia. While the Barcelona attacker was not at his devastating best in the first-half, he was constantly finding pockets of spaces and efficiently using the ball.
The second 45 was a different story as Coutinho made no mistake from 12 yards with a low-drilled finish. Soon after, his ex-Liverpool compatriot, Firmino’s sumptuous dinked cross was nodded in by Coutinho to give supporters a throwback of their Merseyside magic of the past.
However, what stood out about the Selecao’s chief creator was that he refused to rest on his laurels and retained possession thrice after his brace. Spatial awareness, a brilliant brace and tireless workrate were all on show from Coutinho as he reminder his critics of the special talent he possesses.
#3 Bright Richarlison could be the Selecao’s trump card
Bolivian left-back Marvin Bejarano endured a torrid time against Richarlison who constantly had the better of the 31-year old. The Everton wonderkid’s quick feet and ability to run in behind his veteran marker made him a dangerous customer to thwart.
On a night where the Selecao felt flat during the initial stages of the contest, Richarlison looked the likeliest to come up trumps with a moment of brilliance.
Ultimately, it was his shot that lead to the penalty and Coutinho’s opener from the spot.
Richarlison has looked a lethal presence in the Premier League throughout the campaign and is still an unknown commodity worldwide, which makes him a tricky test for any back four to stifle. If the young star is in full flow as the tournament progresses, he could well become a nightmare to deal with for full-backs across the continent.
#4 Super-sub Everton gives Tite a good headache
In the red and white of Ajax, David Neres has stepped up against the greatest of oppositions, at the biggest of stages. He has eclipsed the likes of more glamorous names such as Vinicius Junior and Lucas Moura to prove that meritocracy must reign supreme in football. Going by the same logic, Everton grabbed his opportunity with both hands and earned a starting spot for the Selecao.
Mere minutes after replacing Neres, the Gremio winger cut inside and scored an absolute scorcher of a strike to announce himself to international football.
To put this into context, a lackluster display from Neres does not mean he deserves to be dropped. However, Tite will have a selection dilemma ahead of him considering Everton’s exploits as well the Ajax forward’s undeniable skillset that made him one of the first names on the teamsheet in the first place.
#5 No Neymar, No Problem
Neymar’s injury-forced exclusion from the Copa America was a major blow to Brazil going into the tournament. This prophecy did ring true in the first-half as they lacked the cutting edge provided by their virtuosic superstar to dismantle Bolivia.
However, it is necessary to give credit where credit is due to the Brazilians for finishing the job. In particular, Coutinho must be given the plaudits for putting in a leader’s display at the Estadio do Morumbi.
While there is certainly room for improvement in all areas of the pitch, Tite will be content with 3 goals and a cleansheet at the end of the day.
