The end of the match, amid boos at the Fonte Nova Arena, made it clear that the Brazilian team has been a real disappointment for fans since the 2022 World Cup, against a rival with a qualified defense, that of coach Dorival Júnior, who recently dismissed to Vini. Jr. from the penalty kicks, the team presented another game marked by ups and downs, with ups and downs throughout the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Brazil had a chance to finish the qualifying round in second place if they won the match. However, with only one point added, the Seleção finished the year in fifth position, with 18 points. In the World Cup Qualifiers, the first six places guarantee a direct place, while the seventh place competes in the play-off against a representative from Oceania.
Brazil ends the last game of the year with a bitter draw against Uruguay (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@cbf_futebol)
how was the game
In the first 15 minutes of play, the Brazilian team presented a diverse offensive repertoire, limiting the Uruguayans to their defensive field, where the zonal marking practiced by Marcelo Bielsa’s team prevailed. In this first third of the match there were several invasions into the Uruguay area, but specific cuts or errors in final decisions prevented the plays from being effective. After the initial pressure, Uruguay managed to nullify the Brazilian attack and, in escapes, mainly on the wings, threatened Ederson’s goal.
In the second half, Brazil started with a similar posture to the first half, with Savinho and Vini Jr. creating dangerous opportunities against goalkeeper Rochet. However, the breath was not the same. In the 9th minute, in another play initiated by the Brazilian full-back, Valverde received a pass from Maximiliano Araújo, took Bruno Guimarães out of play and fired a beautiful shot from outside the area to open the scoring.
Valverde prepares to hit a shot that results in a goal (Photo: reproduction/EFE/Isaac Fontana)
Brazil knew how to keep its head straight and put pressure on the Uruguayan defense again as soon as the match resumed. Six minutes after Valverde’s goal, midfielder Gerson took advantage of a broken ball in the air and fired a volley to tie the game at the Arena Fonte Nova. The match continued with Brazil pressing and trying to find spaces in the Uruguayan marking, while Uruguay faced the danger with well-rehearsed counterattacks.
Gerson celebrates his first goal wearing the Seleção shirt (Photo: reproduction/CBF/Rafael Ribeiro)
The end of the match showed Brazil desperate for victory, but, without offensive organization, they could not overcome the rival defense. Dorival even tried to change the course of the match by introducing the young Estêvão, from Palmeiras, but, with individual errors, the situation remained the same until the final whistle.
Upcoming commitments of the Brazilian team
With the end of 2024 amid loud boos from the Brazilian fans, Brazil will only return to the fields in March, on the next FIFA Date. On March 20, at home, they will face Colombia, and then travel to Argentina, where they will play against the world champion on the 25th.
Cover photo: The Brazilian team poses for an official photo before the start of the match (reproduction/CBF/Rafael Ribeiro)
