Peru vs. Brazil: Canarinhos win in stoppage time and maintain 100% record in the qualifiers

Peru vs. Brazil faced off in the second round of the South American qualifiers.

Marquinhos scores a goal in the final moments of the match from a corner kick by Neymar. Follow how the match unfolded.

Peru vs. Brazil: The Match

As mentioned in our previous article, where we analyzed Brazil’s victory over Bolivia, the match against Peru was indeed much more complicated than the first.

The Peruvian national team, unlike the Bolivians, crowded the Brazilian midfield and prevented players like Neymar, Casemiro, and Bruno Guimarães from having the freedom to roam and activate the wings.

Peru’s marking was intense, and Brazil had a hard time creating plays.

This system persisted for a good part of the game. Even though Brazil had superior ball possession, it wasn’t enough to control the match.

However, the reverse is also true. Despite their defensive efforts, Peru couldn’t pose a real threat to Ederson’s goal, whether through counterattacks or creating plays.

This is the main difference between a team that has one of the world’s best players and another with athletes of a certain level but relies much more on tactical discipline.

In the few moments when Brazil had some freedom, Neymar received a pass and played it to Raphinha, who took two shots to score. However, Neymar was offside.

Another moment involved a quick passing exchange on the right side of Brazil’s attack, ending with a brilliant cross from Bruno Guimarães, finding Richarlison in the middle of the box. The center-forward headed firmly and put the ball into the back of the net.

There was great excitement among the players, as Richarlison’s psychological struggles had been widely reported. Therefore, his teammates praised him when he scored.

However, after an absurd seven-minute VAR check, it was determined that Richarlison was offside, and the goal was disallowed.

The second half was a repetition of the first, with very few opportunities for both teams.

Brazil knew they needed a win, especially since their arch-rival, Argentina, achieved an excellent result, defeating Bolivia 3-0 in the altitude of La Paz.

With a final push, the Brazilian national team won a corner kick in the 90th minute. Neymar delivered his trademark strong cross at the near post. As usual, Marquinhos attacked the ball with speed and executed a beautiful header that found the back of the net at the far post.

With the victory secured, Brazil maintains a 100% record in the qualifiers under the guidance of Fernando Diniz and regains the top spot.

Image: Reuters News Brasil

The “Dinizism” in the National Team

It’s already possible to see a change in the Brazilian national team under Fernando Diniz compared to Tite’s leadership.

Unlike the current European style of play, which is highly positional, with improvisation mostly in the final third for the decisive moment, Fernando Diniz programs controlled chaos.

From the initial tactical movements observed, players, both in attack and defense, have the freedom to move between the lines without necessarily sticking to their positions.

The most striking examples of this are how Rodrygo has moved in the last two games. He starts plays wide but quickly shifts inside. And it doesn’t stop there. He continues to attack open spaces continuously, touching the ball multiple times and confusing the opposing defense.

Another point to highlight is the emphasis on intuitive play. At one point in yesterday’s game, Marquinhos, a center-back, started the build-up and, upon identifying an opening in the Peruvian defense, launched himself forward to try to finish a cross from Raphinha. Casemiro, on the other hand, covered for Marquinhos.

All of this requires practice for perfection, and although the game against Peru was mediocre, some traits of the new Brazilian national team coach were visible.

With time, the synergy of these movements is expected to increase, and Brazil should achieve positive results.

Image: Vitor Silva/CBF

Neymar Nearing Another Record

After becoming the all-time top scorer for the Brazilian national team, Neymar is close to breaking another record, which will inevitably happen at some point.

After assisting Marquinhos yesterday, he reached a total of 57 assists with the Brazilian national team.

This means he is one assist away from matching the retired American player, Landon Donovan, who has 58.

We will provide updates on these facts on our social media channels as they occur.

Image: Paolo Aguilar/EFE

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Written by Vitor F L Miller.