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Brazil and Senegal made history as they faced one another for the very first time on Thursday evening in a game that saw the Copa America champions and the Africa Cup of Nations runners-up sharing the spoils at the National Stadium in Singapore.
Both teams headed into the game on the back of losses; while Brazil's 1-0 loss to Peru last month put an end to their 17-game winning streak, Senegal returned for their first senior fixture since their agonizing 1-0 defeat against Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations final back in July.
Brazil took the lead in the ninth minute through Roberto Firmino, whose deft chip found the back of the net. Philippe Coutinho gave the move momentum by spreading the ball out wide to Gabriel Jesus, whose through ball found the Liverpool star.
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Senegal were sloppy at possession and struggled to contain the quartet of Coutinho, Neymar, Jesus and Firmino. However, just when it looked as if Brazil would head into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead, Sadio Mane beat Dani Alves with sheer pace before Marquinhos bundled the Liverpool forward inside the box. The referee instantly pointed to the spot and Famara Diedhiou converted the resultant spot-kick to make it 1-1.
The game wasn’t as eventful after the break but both teams did manage to have sniffs at goal. While Senegal hit the post, Neymar came close to scoring from a free-kick. Ultimately, neither team managed to add to their tally as Senegal managed to hold Brazil to a memorable 1-1 draw.
In this article, we attempt to analyse some talking points from the encounter:
#1 Liverpool connection
The game marked the first time that two of Liverpool’s famed front three came face to face on the field and both Firmino and Mane made sure their presence was felt at the National Stadium in Singapore.
Firmino, who has three goals and seven assists to his name for Liverpool this season, broke the deadlock as early as the ninth minute with a neat chip. On the other hand, Mane was directly involved in Senegal’s equaliser when the Brazilian defence found him too hot to handle inside the box. Marquinhos fouled the Liverpool star in the penalty area and the challenge ultimately led to Diedhiou's equaliser from the spot.
Despite being substituted on the hour mark, Firmino made an indelible mark on the game. Besides scoring, his neat interchanges with Jesus, Neymar and Coutinho were an absolute treat to watch.
Mane, on the other hand, played the entirety of the game and was a constant threat to Brazil’s defence, proving once again that his prowess in the final third is not to be questioned.
#2 Neymar cut a frustrated figure as he won his 100th cap for Brazil
Neymar Jr became the youngest player to ever reach 100 caps for Brazil against Senegal but failed to mark his record appearance with a goal as he cut a frustrated figure at Singapore's National Stadium.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward produced a number of tricks but ultimately missed key opportunities in the final third as offside decisions further dampened his chances.
The 27-year-old star was brilliantly denied by Senegal shot-stopper Alfred Gomis before his free-kick from 30 yards narrowly inched over the bar. The former Barcelona once again hit the target from a free-kick in the 90th minute but the docile nature of the strike helped Gomis make a comfortable save.
Had he scored today, Neymar would have equalled the legendary Ronaldo Nazário's goal tally for the Selecao. While El Fenomeno netted 62 goals in 98 games for his national team in the course of his illustrious career, the PSG star tallied an equally impressive 61 goals and 41 assists in 99 games.
#3 Brazil’s defence showed signs of worry
Brazil’s back-four, consisting of Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Alex Sandro often struggled to keep the likes of Mane and Diedhiou in check during the game.
Alves is 36 years old and no longer plays for a European club, having moved to Sao Paulo from PSG in the summer. Together with Silva, who is also on the wrong side of the thirties, the former Barcelona defender just can’t seem to keep up with pacey opposition players like Mane and Diedhiou.
Meanwhile, Sandro may have been decent in attack but he failed to provide Brazil with the desired crosses and support down the left flank. Marquinhos was solid for the better part of the game, but his clumsy challenge on Mane helped Senegal to draw level from the spot right on the brink of the half-time break.
The South American champions have now conceded five goals in their last four outings and it’s time for Tite to take a long, hard look at his defence for the future of the team.
#4 Mixed game for Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho has been a revelation since his loan move to Bayern Munich from Barcelona over the summer. The Brazilian often cut a frustrated figure at the Camp Nou but he has looked a completely transformed player with the Bundesliga champions.
The 27-year-old, who has two goals and three assists to his name in eight appearances for the Bavarians, started the game against Senegal on a positive note.
The Vasco da Gama graduate sprayed some exquisite passes and played a key role in Brazil’s goal. After receiving the ball in the middle of the park, the former Liverpool star spotted Jesus on the right flank and deftly played the ball out wide to the Manchester City man, whose through ball Firmino chipped into the goal to give Brazil the lead early on.
The Barcelona loanee, however, faded away from the game in the second half and Tite brought on Everton’s Richarlison to replace him in the 72nd minute.
Coutinho shone in patches against Senegal but needs to show more consistency to be considered an untouchable member of the Brazil team.
#5 Alfred Gomis’ spirited display helped Senegal avoid defeat
Senegal goalkeeper Alfred Gomis put in an impressive performance that kept his team from defeat at the hands of the five-time world champions.
The 26-year-old, who joined Ligue 1 club Dijon on a four-year deal from Italian outfit SPAL over the summer, was a calm and influencing figure between the sticks for the African side.
Despite picking the ball out from the back of the net early owing to Firmino’s neat finish in the ninth minute, Gomis made up for the shortcoming with a series of crucial saves and interceptions. He time and again thwarted Brazil’s attacks by sensing danger and coming off his line to gather the ball while also making a number of saves to prevent them from adding to their tally.
Gomis, who was on the bench for Dijon’s first two Ligue 1 games, has managed to keep three clean sheets in five matches since being the French club’s number one choice under the bar. His spirited display against Brazil will surely boost his confidence for the remainder of the season.
