Amidst all the diving talks:
FULL-TIME BRAZIL 2-0 MEXICO
The clock runs down to full time. That was a performance of some authority from Neymar and Co. Mexico threatened in the first quarter of the game but they tapered off soon. After that, it was all Brazil. They were solid at the back, creative in midfield and deadly going forward. Jesus was off colour again but Willian and Neymar were on song.
Vela was the sole Mexican player who looked like creating something from this this contest. It’s yet another round of 16 exit for El Tri, the seventh consecutive time that has happened. Brazil are slowly finding their feet.
90+2’ Firminho tries some fancy tricks near the by-line but the Mexicans clear. The men in green are still having the ball. Seconds earlier, Lozano had an interesting opportunity after darting into the box. His shot, though, left much to be desired.
90’ Six minutes of stoppage time added and Guardado GETS A YELLOW for running his mouth at the referee, who blew for a foul after Neymar crashed to the floor.
88’ That was calmly done and Neymar was at the heart of it with yet another mazy run on the left. He was found in acres of space from Fernandinho’s weighted pass. Neymar tried to dink Ochoa but the Mexican goalie got a hand on it. The ball fell kindly to Firmino, who nodded it home. Brazil are on their way to the quarter-finals.
87’ GOAL! BRAZIL 2-0 MEXICO (Firmino)
85’ Coutinho comes off and in comes Roberto Firminho
83’ Mexico continue to attack sporadically. There are no signs of the Brazilians budging whatsoever.
80’ Thiago Silva is down in his area holding his chest. This was after a shoulder challenge by Gallardo. Another stoppage in play.
Paulinho makes way for Fernandinho
77’ Neymar dances around the Mexican area and if he could have slipped in a pass, Willian would have had all the space in the world to take a shot. That doesn’t happen on this occasion.
75’ YELLOW CARD FOR CALCEDO. One touch and Neymar swirls and tumbles. He can put many stunt artists from Indian movies to shame.
72’ Willian cuts in and takes a shot but it rolls straight into Ochoa’s hands.
72’ There is a three-minute stoppage in play after Neymar goes down clutching his ankle and writhing in pain. Replays show that there was a stamp on his shin by Layun while picking up the ball from the sidelines. Neymar was on the floor when the Mexican collected the ball but he inadvertently (?) stamps him. The Brazilian No 10 is back on his feet and the referee, after making polite enquirers with his assistants, decides against brandishing a card.
69’ No way. Simply no way for the Mexicans in the Brazilian area for Mexico. Guardado’s shot is blocked by Silva.
67’ Mexico just cannot handle Willian. This time, the Chelsea winger pops up on the right, gets to the by-line and Neymar’s shot from the edge of the area goes just inches wide of the post.
64’ Yet again, Mexico are not putting enough pressure on the Brazilians on the break. Yet again, there was space behind Luis but the final ball was poor. Mexico, meanwhile, have completed their allotted three substitutions.
62’ Another fine save from Ochoa. There is no way the 31-year-old deserves to be on the losing side after such a performance. Willian finds space with a cut-in. The ball was going to the top corner but Ochoa dived full stretch to his right to push it away. It was hit at ferocious pace.
60’ Fine counter-attack from Mexico. Finally, Allison is tested and it comes off Vela’s shot. The long-range effort, goalbound, was pushed over the bar by the Brazilian keeper.
59’ Paulinho comes close! This time, space opened up for the right side of the post, and once again, Ochoa was up for the shot. Meanwhile Casemiro gets a YELLOW CARD. HE WILL MISS THE NEXT MATCH.
56’ A string of tired passes from Mexico. A second goal from them imminent.
54’ YELLOW CARD FOR HERRERA. Willian is in fine form, yet again bursting at pace down the right flank. He is pulled back by Herrera and Brazil have a free-kick from a dangerous position.
53’ Mexico attack and once again, the Brazilian defence hold their lines well. El Tri get a corner too, and it is cleared.
That was an exquisite move from Brazil. Willian was at the heart of things, moving from centre to left with a sweeping run and then squaring the ball. Jesus was also vying for it and Neymar nodded it home.
50’ GOAL!! BRAZIL 1-0 MEXICO (Neymar)
49’ OH! Space opened up for Mexico at the back. Space opened up for Gallardo but his left-foot shot went over the bar. He had Lozano free in space on the left.
47’ Another fine save from Ochoa! Neymar took a quick corner, Coutinho’s run wasn’t checked and his shot was pushed away around the post by the Mexican goalkeeper.
We are back for the second half. Rafa Marquez is off, Layun takes his place in the middle.
Half-time: BRAZIL 0-0 MEXICO No stoppage time as the half ends with Mexicans on the ball. Allison has hardly had anything to do in the half. Ochoa had to be alert as Neymar and Jesus came close with their shots. Mexicans started on the front-foot but Brazil soon found their feet towards the end of the half. It’s been intriguing.
43’ Mexicans find some breathing space and ping passes around the edge of the box. The attack comes to nothing.
41’ YELLOW FOR FELIPE LUIS – Lozano breaks from the Brazilian corner and finds Vela on the right. Luis scythes him down and goes into the book.
40’ More Brazilian possession and they have been rewarded with another corner.
38’ Nope. It’s a decent free-kick from Neymar, getting ample curl on the ball and that was the problem, it didn’t test Ochoa.
37’ YELLOW FOR ALVAREZ! Neymar tumbles over as the Mexican defender plants his boot on the Brazilian No 10’s shin. Free-kick on the left from 30 yards out.
36’ Neymar is on the floor....no, it was not a dive this time.
34’ Mexicans now clear a corner. The men in yellow have found their groove and are looking menacing in attack.
31’ More Brazilian pressure. Jesus found space with a dummy and Ochoa once again makes a save from close range. Coutinho and Paulinho also try to find the target but the Mexicans survive.
29’ Terrific defending from Alvarez. Neymar was steaming into the Mexican box after Willian’s cross from the right started the attack. The 20-year-old defender slid in and made an inch-perfect tackle.
28’ Once again, Vela comes into the party. He had space on the left flank and Hernandez found him. The shot, though, went over the bar
25’ Brazilian swarmed the Mexican area and El Tri were under the cosh for the first time in the game. Paulinho and Jesus had their shots cleared in the six-yard area. The ball then fell to Coutinho at the edge of the box, but he blazed his shot over the bar.
24’ CLOSE – Neymar comes alive in the game for the first time with a dummy and a clever turn, which took out Alvarez and Ayala out of the equation. His shot from close range, at an acute angle, was hit straight at Ochoa.
21’ Vela is running the show for his side. He finds a neat ball to Herrera at the edge of the area, who lined up to take a shot. The chance, though, was nipped in the bud by the Brazilians, who crowded out the Mexican midfielder.
20’ Neymar loses the ball and Mexico break at pace again. This time, the Brazilians get their shape back.
19’ Brazil, surprisingly, still have marginally more possession than Mexico. They lose the ball cheaply in midfield and Brazil are patiently stitching an attack.
17’ Luis does well with a sliding block to stop Lozano from taking a shot. Yet again, the Brazilian backline was caught out on the counter-attack. How long will Vela, Hernandez and Lozano keep coming at the men in yellow? Can they sustain it?
16’ Brazil win their first corner as Willian’s cross goes out behind off Calceido’s head. Mexicans break quickly...
14’ More Mexican pressure. Guardado hoofs the ball clear and Lozano on the right wing controls the ball expertly. His cross to Hernandez was slightly off the mark. Yet another interesting move.
12’ OHH! Vela’s cross from the left wing nearly found Herrera, who was in the box. A deflection takes the ball away. Mexicans continue to show a lot of courage going forward.
10’ End to end stuff this. Willian surges through the heart of the Mexican midfield but sees the ball dislodged by Marquez. An attacks breaks from there and Chicharito bombs to the edge of the Brazilian area but loses control. Miranda wins the ball. Most Mexican attacks are flowing through the left.
8’ Hernandez, one of the many Mexican players sporting blond hair today, fouls Allison from an offside position.
7’ Ayala clears and Mexico break. The attack comes to an end. It was a pity because space opened up at the back and a couple of green shirts came rushing into the box. No problem, Vela wins a corner.
6’ Now, Mexico are looking slightly ragged at the back, especially their passing. Brazil have now won a free-kick on the left flank. Neymar lines up.
4’ Neymar first takes a tumble and then a shot from distance after space opens up in front of him. Lively start to the game, Brazil are finding their feet after Mexico set the pace in first couple of minutes.
2’ Early threat shown by Mexico. Guardado’s cross is fisted out by Allison, they win a corner. Brazil clear.
1’ Guardado starts proceedings with a surging run down the left flank. Miranda keeps a check on him and the ball safely goes out for a goal kick after hitting the corner flag.
Kick-off time
7: 26 pm: National anthems are underway
7: 10 pm: Marcelo continues to recuperate from the back injury he suffered against Serbia. Felipe Luis, who had a fine outing in the same game, replaces him. Otherwise Brazil are unchanged with Jesus, Neymar, and Coutinho leading the line.
Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, meanwhile, made only two changes to the side that suffered a 3-0 defeat to Sweden in their final match. Of course, the most intriguing shake up is giving 39-year-old Rafael Marquez his first start of this World Cup. Marquez taking the captain’s armband back from Real Betis midfielder Andres Guardado. This is the former Barcelona centre-back’s fifth World Cup, a record he shares with former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus.
7:09 pm: Mexico have never beaten Brazil in the World Cup. They have also not scored against them in their last three outings.
World Cup record:
Matches: 4, Brazil wins: 3, Mexico wins: 0, Draws: 1, the Selecao have scored a total of 11 times against El Tri in those games
Mexico frustrated Brazil to a draw in the last World Cup. Ochoa was their hero there
No offence meant, folks:
[HEAD TO HEAD] BRAZIL WINS: 23, MEXICO WINS: 10, DRAWS: 7
Brazil are now tied with Germany as the all-time top-scorers in the World Cup. The two teams, who share nine World Cups between them, have found the net 226 times.
06:20 pm: Alright, here we go. No video shenanigans to reveal the lineups this time. The playing XIs are in... no Marcelo for Brazil as Filipe Luis continues at left back.
Image: @FIFAWorldCup
06:18 pm: DID YOU KNOW? Carlos Vela, Hector Moreno and Giovani dos Santos – all part of the current squad – were in a Mexico team that beat Brazil 3-0 in the 2005 U-17 World Cup final? Vela scored the first goal in that game.
06:15 pm: The headline from the Mexico lineup is that veteran Rafa Marquez is starting tonight. Big call from the Mexicans.
06:14 pm: The Mexico lineup is in (if you are in the mood to watch a 42 second video to find out who’s in the XI)
06:10 pm: In their four previous World Cup matches with Mexico, Brazil have never conceded a goal against the North Americans, outscoring them 11-0 in those encounters. But in slightly better news, Mexico fans, the two teams’ most recent World Cup meeting ended in a goalless draw in Fortaleza on 17 June, 2014.
06:05 pm: For Brazil, they got through the group stages without ever being at their absolute best and they know they have plenty left in the tank. Can they hit top gear at the knockout stages?
05:58 pm: Mexico suffered a sea of emotions in a dramatic afternoon the last time they took to the pitch. After falling to a heavy defeat against the Swedes, El Tri suffered an agonising wait to learn their fate in the tournament. The thousands of Mexico fans who had flocked Ekaterinburg erupted in collective delirium after learning that defending champions Germany were ousted after a stunning 0-2 loss to South Korea.
The celebrations continued outside the stadium and long into the night. Perhaps, their fans too sense their campaign reaching a logical conclusion, as the mighty Brazilians await them tonight.
But can they, somehow, pull off a miracle in a tournament that has seen a fair few of those massive upsets?
Read more from R Vishal here.
05:50 pm: Bittersweet could be one way to describe Mexico’s Fifa World Cup history: They have now reached the knockout stages for the seventh consecutive time. And in every previous edition, they were eliminated at this stage. It’s been 22 years of agony, conceding late goals or the inevitable – getting knocked out by opponents with superior pedigree. The latter may stretch on for some more time. Five-time champions Brazil await them in Samara on Monday in the round of 16.
05:45 pm: Hello all and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the round of 16 clash between Brazil and Mexico. We have been spoiled for drama and entertainment throughout this World Cup and the knockout stages have not been an exception. And this one promises to be no different.