Brazil 1-0 Peru: 5 talking points as Selecao progress to the final

A first-half strike by Lucas Paqueta was enough for Brazil to earn a narrow 1-0 victory over Peru in the first semi-final of the 2021 Copa America.

While the hosts saw off 1-0 Chile in the last round to get to this stage, Peru needed penalties to defeat Paraguay after a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Brazil expectedly started the game on the front foot and forced Peru custodian Pedro Gallese into three quickfire saves from Casemiro, Neymar and Richarlison.

Given how Brazil started the game, it was only a matter of time before they went ahead. And that proved to be the case when Lucas Paqueta broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.

The Lyon man combined brilliantly with Neymar, who in turn showed great footing to evade the challenge of four Peruvian defenders before setting up Paqueta.

Paqueta slotted past Gallese with a left-footed strike to give Brazil the lead eight minutes before half-time.

The second half was a more even affair, with an ambitious Peru even drawing good saves from Ederson in the Brazil goal.

Ultimately, Brazil held on to progress to the final, where they will face either Argentina or Colombia on Saturday.

Here are five talking points from the fixture.

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#5 Brazil labor their way to yet another victory

Brazil are efficient and compact under Tite

Brazil are currently on a 12-game unbeaten run. A 1-1 draw with Ecuador in the group stage was the only match they failed to win in that sequence.

However, most of the victories have been far from convincing as Brazil have instead been pragmatic en-route to the Copa final.

This was the third consecutive match in which they scored a solitary goal. They also needed a 10th-minute injury-time winner to complete a comeback victory over Colombia.

The quarter-final victory over Chile was a perfect example of Brazil's recent gameplan, with just 33 percent possession recorded in the second half.

It was more of the same against Peru and after going ahead in the first half, Tite's men took their foot off the pedal and became more preoccupied with protecting their lead.

Brazilian football is famed for being esthetically pleasing as well as successful and Tite is undeniably fulfilling the latter part of the deal. But his team's style of play is more in line with the low-points of Dunga's reign than it is of the golden periods of years gone by.

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#4 Lucas Paqueta's blossoming relationship with Neymar continues

Lucas Paqueta has scored match-winners in consecutive games

Lucas Paqueta has reinvented himself at Olympique Lyon after a disastrous 20-month spell at AC Milan.

He continued his good run of form on the international scene in the quarter-final win over Chile. Paqueta scored the match-winning goal against Chile just minutes after coming on.

This saw the 23-year-old rewarded with a start against Peru, and he repaid Tite's faith by scoring the match-winner in consecutive games.

Incredibly, it was Neymar who assisted each of his two goals in the Copa America. Previously, he also set up Paqueta's goal against Paraguay in a FIFA World Cup qualifier last month.

This blossoming relationship between the two men could be key for Brazil in their quest for Copa glory. Their celebrations after each of the goals also underlined an understanding between Neymar and Paqueta off the field.

#3 Peru bow out with heads held high

Peru were not given a chance against Brazil heading into the game and rightly so, owing to the difference in class and ambition between the two sides.

Both teams met in the group stage, with Brazil winning 4-0 to signify their ambition to retain their Copa crown.

Many would have expected another scandalous result, considering how porous the Peruvian defense has been in recent times.

La Blanquirroja came into the game having conceded 10 goals in their last five matches. And it was believed Neymar and co. would run riot again.

However, that was not the case and Peru ended up giving as good as they got against Brazil.

They threatened to be overrun in a first half that was dominated by Brazil, but Peru slowly grew into the game and might have gotten an equalizer but for some brilliant saves by Ederson.

Despite losing the game, Peru bow out on a high and will be in buoyant spirits ahead of their third-place playoff fixture.

#2 Impressive Neymar acting as the catalyst for Brazil

Neymar provided the assists for Brazil's winner

Neymar missed out through injury as Brazil ended their 12-year wait for Copa America glory on home turf two years ago.

The 29-year-old is seemingly making up for lost time and has been the driving force behind his country's march to the final this time around.

The Paris Saint-Germain man has faced accusations of selfishness in the past but with 109 caps to his name, Neymar is very much the most experienced player in the current squad.

He has adapted to his elder statesman role perfectly and is putting the team before himself. The trademark flicks and tricks are still a part of his game, but he has reduced them to only when necessary.

This much was evident when he dribbled across the Peruvian defense only to square the ball for Paqueta when he might have taken a couple of extra touches in the past.

The assist took him to five-goal contributions from five matches, making the former Barcelona man one of the standout performers in the tournament so far.

He would have been a shoo-in to be named the Best Player of the tournament but for his former teammate and friend Lionel Messi.

Brazil are one game away from winning an 11th Copa America title and with Neymar leading their charge, they will fancy their chances.

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#1 Has Tite lost faith in his out-and-out strikers?

Brazil might have a well-stocked squad in most departments but the centre-forward position is not one to inspire fear.

The trio of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Barbosa and Roberto Firmino have not done enough to guarantee their positions. And it came as no surprise to see Tite file his side out without a specialist centre-forward against Peru.

Neymar's goal-threat, of course, means that he can fill in when needed but the essence of an out-and-out striker cannot be overemphasized.

This is something neither the PSG man nor Richarlison or Lucas Paqueta could offer.

Brazil ultimately won the game and, on evidence of their centre-forward's underperformance in recent weeks, Tite could line up his side in the final without a specialist striker.

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