Brazil 2-1 Colombia: Hits and Flops as Neymar inspires hosts to a dramatic comeback in injury time | Copa America 2021

Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021
Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021

Neymar (Brazil) - Hit

Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021
Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021

Neymar displayed incredible energy on the pitch tonight and for the first hour of the game, he was involved with Brazil's every single move going forward. Like his former teammate Lionel Messi, he dropped deep and showed his playmaking ability, running up and down the pitch.

He was particularly influential down the left flank where his quick feet, pace and determination on the ball helped Brazil dominate the proceedings despite being a goal behind for almost 70 minutes. He was denied by the woodwork in the 66th minute but in all honesty, the shot was not his to take.

He was excellent throughout the game on set-piece duty and his wicked right foot did the trick right at the death. His brilliantly taken corner was headed home by Casemiro to complete their comeback.

He has two goals and two assists to his name after three games and has helped Brazil qualify for the knockout stage with a game to spare.


Mateus Uribe (Colombia) - Flop

Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021
Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021

Mateus Uribe cut an anonymous figure in the middle of the park. He struggled to provide an attacking threat and his defensive presence wasn't great against a creative side like Brazil.

He failed to connect with his teammates and despite being given the freedom to play naturally in the midfield by Wílmar Barrios, who shadowed Neymar throughout the game, the Porto midfielder's game did not improve.

Surprisingly, he was not taken off in the second half and one can only wonder how different the outcome would have been if one of the attacking players like Luis Muriel was brought in after the break.


Roberto Firmino (Brazil) - Hit

Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021
Brazil v Colombia: Group B - Copa America Brazil 2021

Roberto Firmino was substituted in after the break and helped provide Brazil with a target man in the box. Even though Neymar was supposed to be the strike partner for Gabriel Jesus, his services were required in the middle of the pitch and he was brilliant in that free-flowing role.

This created a problem for Brazil as all of the attacking players ended up being concentrated on the flanks and no one was available to receive a pass in the box.

Enter Firmino.

The Liverpool forward occupied the central position in the Brazilian attack, which operated with Neymar and Jesus at either end of the pitch after the break. He got into the thick of things soon after coming on and exchanged a couple of lovely passes with Neymar.

His defining moment of the goal came when he scored a controversial equalizer from Lenan Rodi's cross. He displayed brilliant goal-scoring instincts and found the gap between the Colombia defenders to find the back of the net with a header.


Also See: 10 best goalkeepers in the world this season (2020-21)

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava
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