March report
Five-time World Cup winner Brazil is fifth in the CONMEBOL standings on 18 points, one point behind Colombia and Ecuador, after picking up its second straight draw.
November 20, 2024 08:12
FULL-TIME
FT: Brazil 1-1 Uruguay
Gerson’s equaliser saves the blushes of Brazil as it draws 1-1 with Uruguay at home. The draw, after Argentina’s win over Peru keeps Uruguay second and Brazil fifth in the standings.
89’
Paqueta tries to get the ball off Olivera and ends up conceding a foul while the referee brandishes a yellow card to him for the challenge.
86’ Double substitution for Brazil
In: Andre, Lucas PaquetaOut: Bruno Gumiares, Gerson
85’
Brazil is looking to stretch the Uruguayan defence with passes across the park and then quick ones in the middle. Meanwhile, tempers are flaring between the two sides as Gimenez and Raphinha gets into a verbal spat after the former is pushed down by the latter.
81’ Chance for Brazil!
Raphinha gets the ball outside the box and tries a shot from distance, which flies inches over the net.
79’
Brazil attacks against the run of play, moving from defence to attack in no time as Vini gets a through ball in the final third. He beats two markers but fails to run past Rochet, who grabs the ball to put the chance to bed.
77’
Valverde delivers a lovely pass from the left to switch play on his right to Rodriguez, who sets up Aguirre in the box. Aguirre takes a shot, forcing a save by Ederson.
75’
Uruguay looks to have sunk back into its own half at the moment, trying to hold onto the lead as Brazil mounts attacks one after the other on its rival, trying to take the lead in the last quarter.
73’ Substitution for Brazil
In: Estevao, Out: Savinho
72’
Danilo tries to stop Araujo as he makes his run along the left flank. But the Brazilian fails to get the ball back and Dorival looks furious with the slip-up as he shouts from the sidelines.
69’
Raphinha, who has been in brilliant form for club and country this season, tries to do his defensive duties but his late challenge on Araujo earns him a yellow card and he is very unhappy with the decision.
66’ Change in personnel for Uruguay
In: Jose Rodriguez, Out: Facundo Pellistri
64’ Chance for Brazil!
Gabriel Martinelli gets a loose ball in the air and shoots through a volley, forcing a save by Rochet. The hosts could have gone ahead in no time!
November 20, 2024 07:39
GOAL
62’ Gerson equalises for Brazil!
As Raphinha’s cross is cleared by Uruguay, Gerson Santos da Silva hits on the volley to rattle the net and force celebrations at the stadium. Brazil is back into the game.
58’ Double substitution for Brazil
In: Gabriel Martinelli, Luis HenriqueOut: Abner, Igor Jesus
November 20, 2024 07:31
GOAL
55’ Valverde scores for Uruguay!
Seconds after Vini’s shot goes inches off target, his club teammate Valverde runs past Bruno Gumiares and scores a right-footed stunner to give Uruguay the lead.
51’
Varela tries to set up Aguirre in the box with a long cross, which is handled expertly by Ederson, who jumps to catch the ball.
49’
The contest is becoming more and more physical as Brazil gets a free-kick after in the midfield, which is quickly taken by Raphinha. Seconds later, Saracchi fouls Savinho, who also takes another free-kick quickly.
48’
Darwin Nunez has had a night to forget with no shots on target in the first half and Bielsa has replaced him with Rodrigo Aguirre after the break.
Second half begins!
Uruguay looks to press high in the second half, with Pellistri being the usual line of attack but as he is tightly marked, Aguirre tries to make a early run but is pulled back by the Brazilian defence.
November 20, 2024 07:09
HALFTIME
All level at the break!
And within seconds, the referee blows the half-time whistle. The chance in the last moments of this half remains the reflex save in an otherwise lacklustre 45 minutes.
45+2’ Brazil almost scores!
Raphinha’s cormer kick is headed by Marquinhos on target but Rochet makes a great reflex save to deny a certain goal to the Brazilians.
43’
Vinicius and Raphinha get ready to take the kick, with the latter finally taking the shot. But the Barca forward directly hits the wall as Uruguay makes another clearance.
November 20, 2024 07:00
YELLOW CARD
41’ Yellow card: Manuel Ugarte
Valverde runs into the final third and shoots with his left foot, which goes off-target. Meanwhile, his teammate Ugarte gets into the book for a rash challenge on Vinicius in front of the penalty box.
38’
The first half, despite some multiple shots from either side, has failed to really make the goalkeepers work on either side so far.
35’ Chane for Brazil!
Raphinha runs past his marker with a run to his left and takes a shot, which goes off-target. But it was not far from goal. The Brazilians have continued their attacks consistently throughout the first half so far.
33’
Brasil tries to switch play as Raphinha cross to his left for Abner but too much force in the cross sees the ball go out of a play for an Uruguayan throw-in.
31’
Chance for Brazil as Savinho gets the ball into the final third and whips in a cross into the centre, which is intercepted by Uruguay to deny any chance of a goal to the hosts.
29’
Gerson’s foul on Pellistri gives Uruguay a free-kick. Valverde takes the free-kick which beats the wall but also the goal as the ball ends up in the side-netting.
28’
Chance for Brazil to attack through a set-piece as it gets a corner kick, which is taken by Raphinha but Araujo heads the ball out of danger.
26’
Pellistri, having gotten the ball along the right flank, tries to make a run but Brazil steals the ball back, which reaches Ederson’s foot to start another attack for the hosts.
23’ Chance for Brazil!
Raohinha makes a quick run behind the Uruguayan defence, gets to the through and takes a shot, which flies off-target. He was completely unmarked during the run.
21’
Uruguay gets the first corner of the match. As Valverde whips it in for a set-piece opportunity, Gabriel clears it out of danger.
19’
Gumiares tries to set up Abner on his left with a threaded pass, but too much force on it sees the ball go out of play, past a chasing Abner, who had made the overlapping run.
17’
It is Uruguay which tries to draw Brazilian defenders out with back-passes and delivers a long ball for Pellistri and Nunez, who are waiting in the final third. But Marquinhos and Gabriel make sure there is not trouble for the hosts with that ball.
16’
Bruno passes to Vini in front of the box, who turns and tries to set up someone in the box with a through ball. But Uruguay’s defence spots the ball to stop it and clear it immediately.
14’
Brazil has looked the more aggressive side so far, with Uruguay desperate to clear its lines -- a very unlikely phenomenon from a Marcelo Bielsa-coached team.
12’
Brazil gets a brilliant chance as Raphinha delivers another through ball into the final third for Vinicius, who runs with it into the box but is sandwiched between two defenders and goes down appealing for a penalty. The referee is not interested.
10’
Gabriel, Marquinhos and Bruno combine to try and draw the Uruguay out but the visiting side’s defence is well-stationed to ward off any development and then Uruguay goes for an attack off Pellistri, whose cross is headed away by Gabriel.
8’
The goalkeeper is back on his feet and the match resumes with Brazil conspiring another attack. Gabriel tries to look for a space but is surrounded and passes back to Marquinhos.
6’
Raphinha spots a gap in the penalty box and threads in a through ball for Vinicius. But Rochet comes running in to get to the ball first but suffers a blow in the process.
6’
Gabriel tries to get the ball upfront and passes to Vini, who tries to dribble past his marker but loses the ball eventually.
4’ Early chance for Brazil
Brazil attacks through a quick burst of pace, as the ball moves from Marquinhos to Danilo to finally Vinicius, whose shot is just wide off-target. The fans are on their feet. First real chance for Brazil
1’
Brazil starts on the offensive but loses the ball in the final third, after which Pellistri tries to attack on the counter but the hosts stop him after the centre-circle.
Kick Off!
And we are underway in Salvador. Uruguay starts in white from left to right while the hosts start in their conventional colours of yellow and blue from the other side.
Minutes to kick-off!
The players have lined-up in the tunnel and are ready to take the field. Only minutes remains for kick-off as players of both sides make their way onto the ground.
No Neymar in the Brazilian line-up?
Neymar returned to the pitch after nearly a year, last month, after recuperating from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, in an AFC Champions League Elite match.
Starting line-ups: Uruguay
Rochet - Varela, Gimenez, Olivera, Sarachhi - Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur - Pellistri, Nunez, Araujo
Starting line-ups: Brazil
Ederson - Abner, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Danilo - Bruno Gumiares, Gerson, Raphinha - Vinicius Jr, Igor Jesus, Savinho
Match Preview
Five-time World champion Brazil will look to return to winning ways when it plays arch-rival Uruguay in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier at the Arena Fonte Nova in Brazil on Tuesday.
Dorival Junior’s boys were held to a 1-1 draw in their previous match when Telasco Segovia equalised within three minutes of the Raphina’s opening strike. Against Uruguay, that, avoiding a quick equaliser, will be something they will look to ensure, especially against a team coached by Marcelo Bielsa, who is known to design teams for quick counterattacks.
Raphinha will know it more than most, having played under the Argentina at Leeds United, where he earned promotion to the Premier League with Bielsa in charge.
