The date was July 2nd, 2018 at Samara Arena. Brazil defeated Mexico 2-0, advancing to the World Cup quarter-finals.
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Mexico started strong, challenging Brazil’s defense, particularly targeting the right flank. Despite early opportunities, they failed to score. Brazil, gaining momentum, took control with Neymar increasingly threatening on counterattacks.
Neymar opened the scoring in the 51st minute, exploiting a play initiated by Willian. As the game approached its end, Roberto Firmino clinched the victory, scoring off a rebound from a Neymar shot in the 88th minute.
The match drew an audience of 41,970, defining the high stakes of this knockout round. This loss marked Mexico’s seventh consecutive exit at the World Cup’s Round of 16, while Brazil set up a potential face-off with Belgium or Japan.
Squad lineup
Brazil:
Alisson; Fagner, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Filipe Luís; Casemiro, Paulinho; Willian, Philippe Coutinho, Neymar; Gabriel Jesus, with Firmino among the substitutes making a crucial appearance.
Mexico:
Guillermo Ochoa; Edson Álvarez, Carlos Salcedo, Hugo Ayala, Jesús Gallardo; Héctor Herrera, Andrés Guardado, Miguel Layún; Hirving Lozano, Javier Hernández, Carlos Vela, with key substitutions including Raúl Jiménez and Jonathan dos Santos.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
