Brazil cruised to a comprehensive 2-0 win against Paraguay in the World Cup Qualifiers, with Neymar stealing the show with a goal and an assist. The win also sets the stage for the Brazilians, who will commence their Copa America campaign next week. Here are the four takeaways from the win against Paraguay.
Neymar to run the show
The PSG ace was clinical throughout the game as he ended up registering a goal and an assist. Being Brazil’s second top scorer in history, Neymar produced a calm finish for Brazil‘s opener before setting up the goal for substitute Lucas Paqueta. It has been an underwhelming year for Neymar so far as PSG failed to defend Ligue 1 title and also fell short in the Champions League. The Brazilian will look to end the season on a high note, trying to win silverware for his country in Copa America.
Paqueta could be a starter
Lucas Paqueta came as an impact substitute against Paraguay, but he needs to be a starter in Copa America. Tite’s midfield is a stacked one, but Paqueta is the most attack-minded of all. Furthermore, the 23-year-old is coming off an impressive season at Lyon, in which he racked up a total of 9 goals and 5 assists.
Brazil ends their hoodoo in Paraguay
It has been 36 years without a single win in Paraguay, but Brazil managed to put an end to the losing streak after the 2-0 win.
Tite’s side are the favourites for Copa America
While it looks too early to predict the winners of Copa America, it is safe to say that Brazil is the best team out there. With both Argentina and Uruguay struggling to be consistent – their recent results indicate, Brazil have another great chance to stamp their authority by winning the title for the second time in a row. It had been reported that Brazil are reluctant to host Copa America on their home soil due to pandemic fears, but it looks like they are slowly leaning towards participating in the tournament.
