World Cup 2018: Brazil 2-0 Mexico - Hits and flops from the game

#4 Flop: Fagner

Fagner has failed to silence his doubters at the World Cup

When Dani Alves was ruled out of the World Cup in early May, concerns were raised regarding a suitable replacement and consequently a successor for the right-back position, the only department where the Brazilians seemed to not have a dearth of dependable options. Eventually, Manchester City's Danilo and Corinthians' Fagner emerged as the options with Tite preferring the latter.

However, the questions from May were reiterated tonight as an underwhelming Fagner was left wanting for most parts of the game by Carlos Vela and Hirving Lozano.

Much of the Mexican dominance in the first half an hour of the match was owed to Vela's brilliance in the left flank and his dynamic switch of play through diagonal balls to Lozano. All of it could have been avoided if Fagner could've done his duties diligently.

The 29-year-old Brazilian was wary of Vela's pace and decided to employ a conservative approach against the Los Angeles FC forward. As a result, all he did was back down and try to contain Vela instead of pressing him which allowed the latter ample space to pull the strings from the left flank.

Fagner did not decide to change his approach when Vela and Lozano switched flanks later on in the game and as a result, Mexican attacks continued to build almost always from the left side of the pitch.