Brazil 2-0 Serbia: Richarlison spearheads Brazil's World Cup charge

Richarlison whitethorn person to warrant his spot arsenic Brazil's fig 9 to outsiders but helium utilized his debut connected the World Cup signifier to show precisely wherefore manager Tite is unswerving successful his admiration and squad selection.

In a squad overflowing with attacking riches, Tite has made Richarlison his first-choice striker to complement the gifts of Neymar and Vinicius Junior, and was the spearhead arsenic the tourney favourites opened with an awesome 2-0 triumph implicit Serbia astatine Lusail Stadium.

Richarlison ended Brazil's vexation successful the look of Serbia's massed antiaircraft ranks erstwhile helium pounced aft goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic turned distant Vinicius Junior's changeable conscionable aft the hour.

Then existent infinitesimal of magic arrived, a portion of accomplishment that had the finest traditions of Brazilian shot moving close done it.

Richarlison initially failed to power Vinicius' transverse but re-adjusted instantly, taking to the aerial and showing cleanable method and athleticism to flash location an unstoppable right-foot volley.

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Richarlison's 2nd extremity made it 9 successful his past 7 Brazil appearances, further grounds of wherefore helium is held successful specified respect by Tite and making him his country's archetypal subordinate to people doubly connected his World Cup debut since Neymar successful 2014.

He is successful immoderate ways a workhorse surrounded by much flamboyant attacking talents, but Richarlison is the implicit striker erstwhile astatine the apical of his game, offering tireless enactment complaint arsenic good arsenic precocious levels of skill.

Richarlison has had a stop-start opening to his Spurs vocation pursuing his £60m summertime determination from Everton, with injuries stalling his progress, but this was a show that showed what an plus helium is for Brazil and volition beryllium for his nine broadside successful the future.

Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Sport: "He's a antheral successful signifier successful that yellowish shirt. He is yet to people successful the Premier League for Spurs but for Brazil helium is connected fire.

"The positioning of Richarlison to prime up those scrappy small goals, the ones wherever the keeper is going to pat them retired successful and astir the six-yard box, springiness maine arsenic overmuch restitution arsenic the unthinkable 2nd extremity helium scored.

"He's successful the close position. He gets his changeable away. Watch his movement. He's archetypal to respond arsenic each bully strikers are. It looks precise elemental but it's not. You've got to get successful determination past decorativeness it. It's very, precise bully centre-forward play."

Richarlison's match-winning show besides added to the value of grounds suggesting the sheer spot and all-round prime of Brazil's squad makes them favourites to assistance the World Cup successful this aforesaid stadium.

Neymar was engaged but quiescent overall, and besides appeared to prime up an injury, portion Vinicius dazzled. They could not marque their ain breakthroughs but helped Richarlison get the occupation done to snuff retired Serbia's hopes.

Brazil could person added much successful the closing stages arsenic Tite made the benignant of changes that volition person their rivals wincing with jealousy astatine their spot successful depth, introducing Arsenal's Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli, Manchester United brace Antony and Fred, and Real's Rodrygo.

Manchester United's Casemiro showed each his immense experience, hitting the woodwork on with Alex Sandro, portion down them is Chelsea seasoned Thiago Silva and Liverpool's outstanding goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who did not person a prevention to make.

Brazil's service of supporters are ever expectant astatine World Cups and their archetypal crippled successful immoderate tourney carries a interaction of sporting theatre. Their yellowish shirts flooded the Lusail Stadium earlier kick-off and were dispersed each astir successful the assemblage of much than 88,000.

They volition beryllium hoping, with bully cause, to instrumentality to this venue for the final.

If Brazil's players were weighed down by anticipation it did not amusement amid remarkably relaxed scenes arsenic they arrived earlier kick-off.

When the squad autobus stopped successful the tunnel, members of the squad joined unneurotic successful a creation earlier disembarking. When Neymar strolled into the dressing country helium was joined by team-mate Raphinha successful a samba.

Riddled with World Cup nerves? Not exactly.

And determination was a glorious outpouring of Brazilian joyousness for each of Richarlison's goals, members of the squad and the squad pouring towards the country emblem to swamp the scorer. It was a genuine amusement of unity and celebration.

When Neymar strolled into the stadium helium was sporting a garish brace of shimmering aureate headphones. His clip volition travel retired present successful Qatar - but connected this nighttime it was Richarlison who stood retired arsenic Brazil's aureate boy.

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