Venezuela surprises and draws with Brazil in Cuiabá – 12/10/2023 – Sport

Brazil disappointed, did not confirm favoritism and drew 1-1 with Venezuela in a game played this Thursday (12) at Arena Pantanal, in Cuiabá, valid for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Brazil came out ahead. In the 4th minute of the second half, Gabriel Magalhães took advantage of a corner taken by Neymar and scored his first goal for the national team.

Edward Bello, who had just entered, equalized in the 39th minute, with a beautiful volley goal, after a cross from Savarino.

The result clashes with the largely favorable record in the duel between the Brazilians and the Venezuelans — now there are 29 clashes, with 24 victories for Brazil, four draws and only one victory for Venezuela, in a friendly in 2008. In games in the Qualifiers, there are 17 victories for Brazil and two draws.

The match at Arena Pantanal marked the return of striker Vinícius Junior to the team. Real Madrid’s Brazilian star had missed the team’s last two matches due to a muscle injury in his right thigh.

It was also the first time that the attacking trio formed by Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Neymar played together since Brazil’s last match in the Qatar Cup, when the team led by coach Tite, announced this week at Flamengo, was eliminated by Croatia in the quarter-finals in the penalty shootout, after a 1-1 draw.

The team played in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with striker Richarlyson at the front.

This Thursday’s game also marked the return of the Brazilian team to the capital of Mato Grosso. The last time the team had played in the city was in March 2002, when they beat Iceland 6-1, in a preparatory game for that year’s World Cup. Kaká, Edílson, Gilberto Silva, Kleberson and Anderson Polga scored the goals of the match.

In Brazil’s next qualifying match, the team travels to Montevideo and faces off on Tuesday (17) against Uruguay, at the Centenário stadium. The celestial team drew 2-2 with Colombia this Thursday in a match in the Colombian city of Barranquilla.

With the draw against Venezuela, Brazil leaves the first place in the Qualifiers to Argentina, who beat Paraguay at home 1-0 and have 100% success in three games.

Brazil and Argentina face each other in the sixth round on November 21st, at Maracanã.

In the South American qualifiers, ten teams compete in round-robin matches. The first six countries in the group qualify for the World Cup. The seventh placed team competes in a playoff with countries from North America, Africa, Oceania and Asia.

In the first two matches of the World Cup qualifiers in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Brazil thrashed Bolivia 5-1 at the Mangueirão stadium, in Belém, Pará, in the debut of interim Fernando Diniz, and then won an away victory. home 1-0 against Peru.

Brazil should be led in mid-2024 by Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, currently at Real Madrid.