Brazil outclass Serbia to set up Mexico clash• Paulinho, Silva score goals in each half to seal victory

Reuters | Moscow

Brazil eased into the World Cup knockout stages after defeating Serbia 2-0 here Wednesday, with

superstar Neymar sparkling in a win which sets up a last 16 clash against Mexico.

Paulinho put Brazil ahead with a su-perb dinked finish on 36 minutes before Neymar swung in a cross for Thiago Silva to header the Selecao’s second goal with 22 minutes left in Moscow.

Having opened his Russia 2018 ac-count with the second of Brazil’s two late goals in Friday’s 2-0 win over Costa Rica, Neymar was again impressive.

After the tearful emotion of Saint Petersburg, Neymar cut a more joyful figure after this win, blowing kisses to the crowd as the five-time champions celebrated.

As Group E winners, Brazil will now face Mexico in Samara on Monday, with group runners-up Switzerland taking on Sweden in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

In the pre-match build-up Brazil coach Tite said Neymar alone can not “shoulder the responsibility” for his team’s World Cup hopes.

However, the 26-year-old seemed content to carry Brazil’s attack, mo-toring through Serbia’s midfield and crashing an early shot just wide of the post.

The match at Moscow’s Spartak Sta-dium began at a ferocious tempo and Brazil left-back Marcelo was an early casualty, limping off after ten minutes to be replaced by Filipe Luis.

Neymar had the best chance of the opening half hour when he forced Ser-bia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic to palm his shot away.

Tempers frayed when Serbia mid-fielder Adem Ljajic scythed down Ney-mar, in full flight on the left flank, to earn a booking on 33 minutes.

Brazil conjured the opener from nothing when a beautifully lofted pass from Philippe Coutinho found Paulin-ho, who flicked the ball over Stojkovic’s reach on 36 minutes to make it 1-0 at the break.

Serbia repeatedly struggled to con-tain Brazil’s fleet-footed attack.

Manchester United midfielder Ne-manja Matic was the next Serbian mid-fielder to be booked when he fouled Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus on 48 minutes.

Serbia’s brightest spell came with half an hour left, only to be let down by poor finishing.

Ljajic stumbled to take a return pass after a charging run into Brazil’s box and then fired over shortly after.

Then with his defence beaten, Bra-

zil goalkeeper Alisson palmed a save straight at Aleksandar Mitrovic, but the Serbia forward could only head the ball back into the grateful arms of the Brazilian shotstopper.

To cap Serbia’s frustrations, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic fired wide, then Mitrovic guided a powerful header straight at Alisson from a corner.

However, Brazil made sure of the win when Neymar swung in a free-kick and his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Thiago crashed home his header, un-marked at the near post, on 68 minutes.

With one eye on the last 16, Tite took off Countinho with ten minutes left while Neymar twice went close to scor-ing the Selecao’s third late on, but the Brazil coach can be happy with his star forward.

20THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2018

Brazil, Switzerland in

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Uruguay 3 3 0 0 5 0 9

Russia 3 2 0 1 8 4 6

Saudi 3 1 0 2 2 7 3

Egypt 3 0 0 3 2 6 0

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Brazil 3 2 1 0 5 1 7

Switzerland3 1 2 0 5 4 5

Serbia 3 1 0 2 2 4 3

Costa Rica3 0 1 2 2 5 1

MP W D L GF GA PTS

France 3 2 1 0 3 1 7

Denmark 3 1 2 0 2 1 5

Peru 3 1 0 2 2 2 3

Australia 3 0 1 2 2 5 1

MP W D L GF GA PTS

England 2 2 0 0 8 2 6

Belgium 2 2 0 0 8 2 6

Tunisia 2 0 0 2 3 7 0

Panama 2 0 0 2 1 9 0

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Spain 3 1 2 0 6 5 5

Portugal 3 1 2 0 5 4 5

Iran 3 1 1 1 2 2 4

Morocco 3 0 1 2 2 4 1

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Sweden 3 2 0 1 5 2 6

Mexico 3 2 0 1 3 4 6

SKorea 3 1 0 2 3 0 3

Germany 3 1 0 2 2 4 3

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Croatia 3 3 0 0 7 1 9

Argentina 3 1 1 1 3 5 4

Nigeria 3 1 0 2 3 4 3

Iceland 3 0 1 2 2 5 1

MP W D L GF GA PTS

Japan 2 1 1 0 4 3 4

Senegal 2 1 1 0 4 3 4

Colombia 2 1 0 1 4 2 3

Poland 2 0 0 2 1 5 0

Point Table

GROUP B

GROUP F

GROUP D

GROUP H

GROUP A

GROUP E

GROUP C

GROUP G

T o d a y ’ s m a t c h Group H

Japan vs Poland Senegal vs Colombia

(5:00 PM)

Group G England vs Belgium Panama vs Tunisia

(9:00 PM)

Switzerland does enough to advance Injury time penalty helped Costa Rica to grab a 2-2 draw against Switzerland who lost their captainAFP | Nizhniy Novgorod

Switzerland moved through to the World Cup last 16 yesterday, after a draw over

Costa Rica but will be without captain Stephan Lichtsteiner because of suspension.

A 93rd minute own goal by the unfortunate keeper Yann Som-mer from a Bryan Ruiz penalty gave the central American side a deserved 2-2 draw on a night of late drama in Nizhny Novgorod.

That wiped out a Swiss lead which had lasted only two minutes after substitute Josep

Drmic slotted home to apparent-ly give the Swiss an undeserved victory.

Earlier Blerim Dzemaili had thumped home in the first half to give Switzerland the lead against the run-of-play in the 31st minute against the team who finished bottom of Group E.

That goal was cancelled out by Kendall Waston’s header in the 56th minute, the central Amer-

icans first goal of the tourna-ment.

The draw ensured Switzer-land finished second in the group behind Brazil.

But Switzerland will be left counting the cost after yellow cards for experienced defenders Lichtsteiner and Fabian Schaer means they will miss the game against Sweden in Saint Peters-burg on July 3.

Lichtsteiner received a yellow card for a late tackle on Daniel Colindres in the 37th minute.

It was the Arsenal player’s second yellow of the tournament after being booked in the open-ing game against Brazil.

He was one of three players who had escaped a ban going into the match after the con-troversial “double eagle” goal celebrations in the fevered 2-1

victory over Serbia.Then late on Schaer also re-

ceived his second yellow card of the tournament, also ruling him out of the Sweden match.

The point was no more than Costa Rica deserved for a fine performance.

They continually stretched the Swiss defence in the first half and looked the most likely to take all three points in the second.

Switzerland took the lead when Dzemaili emphatically converted from close range after a fine headed knock-down by Breel Embolo.

It was the only goal Switzer-land have so far scored in the first-half at the tournament.

The goal was harsh on Cos-ta Rica after a frantic start saw them go close on several occa-sions, hitting the post and bar.

Kendall Waston of Costa Rica scores his team’s first goal

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 COSTA RICASWITZERLANDNizhni Novgorod Stadium

Group E31’88’

WastonSommer

56’90’ +3’ (og)

DzeimailiDrmic

14

6

14

12

3

9

22

40%60%

123589

1012161920

81’

90’ + 3’

90’ + 1’

(cap)

NavasAcostaGonzalezBorgesOviedoColindresRuiz (cap)CampbellGamboaWastonGuzman

1314

4

81’90’ + 1’90’ + 3’

WallaceAzofeifaSmith

1257

10111315182223

60’

69’

81’

(cap)SommerLichtsteiner (cap)AkanjiEmboloXhakaBehramiRodriguezDzemailiGavranovicSchaerShaqiri

1719

6

60’69’81’

ZakariaDrmicLang

Clément Turpin (FRA)

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 COSTA RICASWITZERLANDNizhni Novgorod Stadium

Group E31’88’

WastonSommer

56’90’ +3’ (og)

DzeimailiDrmic

14

6

14

12

3

9

22

40%60%

123589

1012161920

81’

90’ + 3’

90’ + 1’

(cap)

NavasAcostaGonzalezBorgesOviedoColindresRuiz (cap)CampbellGamboaWastonGuzman

1314

4

81’90’ + 1’90’ + 3’

WallaceAzofeifaSmith

1257

10111315182223

60’

69’

81’

(cap)SommerLichtsteiner (cap)AkanjiEmboloXhakaBehramiRodriguezDzemailiGavranovicSchaerShaqiri

1719

6

60’69’81’

ZakariaDrmicLang

Clément Turpin (FRA)

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 COSTA RICASWITZERLANDNizhni Novgorod Stadium

Group E31’88’

WastonSommer

56’90’ +3’ (og)

DzeimailiDrmic

14

6

14

12

3

9

22

40%60%

123589

1012161920

81’

90’ + 3’

90’ + 1’

(cap)

NavasAcostaGonzalezBorgesOviedoColindresRuiz (cap)CampbellGamboaWastonGuzman

1314

4

81’90’ + 1’90’ + 3’

WallaceAzofeifaSmith

1257

10111315182223

60’

69’

81’

(cap)SommerLichtsteiner (cap)AkanjiEmboloXhakaBehramiRodriguezDzemailiGavranovicSchaerShaqiri

1719

6

60’69’81’

ZakariaDrmicLang

Clément Turpin (FRA)Possession

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 COSTA RICASWITZERLANDNizhni Novgorod Stadium

Group E31’88’

WastonSommer

56’90’ +3’ (og)

DzeimailiDrmic

14

6

14

12

3

9

22

40%60%

123589

1012161920

81’

90’ + 3’

90’ + 1’

(cap)

NavasAcostaGonzalezBorgesOviedoColindresRuiz (cap)CampbellGamboaWastonGuzman

1314

4

81’90’ + 1’90’ + 3’

WallaceAzofeifaSmith

1257

10111315182223

60’

69’

81’

(cap)SommerLichtsteiner (cap)AkanjiEmboloXhakaBehramiRodriguezDzemailiGavranovicSchaerShaqiri

1719

6

60’69’81’

ZakariaDrmicLang

Clément Turpin (FRA)

-- --

2018 World Cup: Knock-out phase

3rd place play off

St Petersburg

July 6 July 6

July 10 July 11

July 15 July 14

July 7 July 7

Croatia Denmark Sweden Switz. 1st gr. H 2nd gr. G

Samara

July 2 - SamaraJune 30 - Sochi

Sochi

France ArgentinaPortugalUruguay RussiaSpainMexico 1st gr. G 2nd gr. H

July 1 - Nizhni Novgorod

Nizhni Novgorod

July 2 - Rostov-on-Don

Last 16

Quarter finals

Semi finals

Final

July 3 - St Petersburg

St Petersburg

July 1 - Moscow Luzhniki

Moscow Luzhniki

Moscow Luzhniki

July 3 - Moscow Spartak

Kazan

June 30 - Kazan

France

Peru

Australia

Denmark

Brazil

Serbia

Costa Rica

Switz.

Croatia

Iceland

Nigeria

Japan

Colombia

Poland

SenegalMexico

Sweden

S. Korea

Germany

England

Tunisia

Panama

Belgium

Spain

Iran

Morocco

Portugal

B5 pts (1)

5 pts (1)

4 pts (0)

1 pt (-2)

7 pts (2)

5 pts (1)

3 pts (0)

1 pt (3)

9 pts (6)

3 pts (-1)

1 pt (-3)

Argentina 4 pts (-2)

7 pts (4)

5 pts (1)

3 pts(-2)

1 pt (-3)

6 pts (6)

6 pts (6)

0 pt (-4)

0 pt

4 pts

(-8)

4 pts

(1)

3 pts

(1)

0 pt

(2)

(-4)

C D E F G H

Source: FIFA

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

1

1

3

4

2

Uruguay

Egypt

S. Arabia

Russia

9 pts

A

6 pts

(5)

3 pts

(4)

0 pt

(-5)

(-4)

Brazil

6 pts(-1)

6 pts (3)

3 pts (0)

3 pts(-2)

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 BRAZILSERBIAMoscow - Spartak Stadium

Group E PaulinhoThiago Silva

36’68’

13

6

7

10

1

13

20

56%44%

12359

101112151922

80’10’66’

(cap)

AlissonThiago SilvaMiranda (cap)CasemiroGabriel JesusNeymarCoutinhoMarceloPaulinhoWillianFagner

617

8

10’66’80’

Filipe LuisFernandinhoR. Augusto

129

1011131517202122

89’

82’

75’

(cap)

StojkovicRukavinaMitrovicTadicKolarov (cap)VeljkovicMilenkovicKosticMilinkovic-SavicMaticLjajic

71819

75’82’89’

ZivkovicRadonjicJovic

Alireza Faghani (IRN)

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 BRAZILSERBIAMoscow - Spartak Stadium

Group E PaulinhoThiago Silva

36’68’

13

6

7

10

1

13

20

56%44%

12359

101112151922

80’10’66’

(cap)

AlissonThiago SilvaMiranda (cap)CasemiroGabriel JesusNeymarCoutinhoMarceloPaulinhoWillianFagner

617

8

10’66’80’

Filipe LuisFernandinhoR. Augusto

129

1011131517202122

89’

82’

75’

(cap)

StojkovicRukavinaMitrovicTadicKolarov (cap)VeljkovicMilenkovicKosticMilinkovic-SavicMaticLjajic

71819

75’82’89’

ZivkovicRadonjicJovic

Alireza Faghani (IRN)

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 BRAZILSERBIAMoscow - Spartak Stadium

Group E PaulinhoThiago Silva

36’68’

13

6

7

10

1

13

20

56%44%

12359

101112151922

80’10’66’

(cap)

AlissonThiago SilvaMiranda (cap)CasemiroGabriel JesusNeymarCoutinhoMarceloPaulinhoWillianFagner

617

8

10’66’80’

Filipe LuisFernandinhoR. Augusto

129

1011131517202122

89’

82’

75’

(cap)

StojkovicRukavinaMitrovicTadicKolarov (cap)VeljkovicMilenkovicKosticMilinkovic-SavicMaticLjajic

71819

75’82’89’

ZivkovicRadonjicJovic

Alireza Faghani (IRN)Possession

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 BRAZILSERBIAMoscow - Spartak Stadium

Group E PaulinhoThiago Silva

36’68’

13

6

7

10

1

13

20

56%44%

12359

101112151922

80’10’66’

(cap)

AlissonThiago SilvaMiranda (cap)CasemiroGabriel JesusNeymarCoutinhoMarceloPaulinhoWillianFagner

617

8

10’66’80’

Filipe LuisFernandinhoR. Augusto

129

1011131517202122

89’

82’

75’

(cap)

StojkovicRukavinaMitrovicTadicKolarov (cap)VeljkovicMilenkovicKosticMilinkovic-SavicMaticLjajic

71819

75’82’89’

ZivkovicRadonjicJovic

Alireza Faghani (IRN)

Neymar Jr of Brazil is challenged by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Serbia

Shots

On target

Fouls

Players Players

Referee

og=own goal, pen=penaltySource: FIFA

SubstitutionYellow cardRed card

(cap) = Captain

Possession

Wednesday June 27 COSTA RICASWITZERLANDNizhni Novgorod Stadium

Group E31’88’

WastonSommer

56’90’ +3’ (og)

DzeimailiDrmic

14

6

14

12

3

9

22

40%60%

123589

1012161920

81’

90’ + 3’

90’ + 1’

(cap)

NavasAcostaGonzalezBorgesOviedoColindresRuiz (cap)CampbellGamboaWastonGuzman

1314

4

81’90’ + 1’90’ + 3’

WallaceAzofeifaSmith

1257

10111315182223

60’

69’

81’

(cap)SommerLichtsteiner (cap)AkanjiEmboloXhakaBehramiRodriguezDzemailiGavranovicSchaerShaqiri

1719

6

60’69’81’

ZakariaDrmicLang

Clément Turpin (FRA)

You have to be alive for 90

minutes or else you’ll be punished.

It’s difficult to play such an open game against a powerhouse of football like Brazil. We need to up our game, elevate the quality to a higher level, improve what is good and eliminate the weaknessesSERBIA COACH MLADEN KRSTAJIC

-- --

2018 World Cup: Knock-out phase

3rd place play off

St Petersburg

July 6 July 6

July 10 July 11

July 15 July 14

July 7 July 7

Croatia Denmark Sweden Switz. 1st gr. H 2nd gr. G

Samara

July 2 - SamaraJune 30 - Sochi

Sochi

France ArgentinaPortugalUruguay RussiaSpainMexico 1st gr. G 2nd gr. H

July 1 - Nizhni Novgorod

Nizhni Novgorod

July 2 - Rostov-on-Don

Last 16

Quarter finals

Semi finals

Final

July 3 - St Petersburg

St Petersburg

July 1 - Moscow Luzhniki

Moscow Luzhniki

Moscow Luzhniki

July 3 - Moscow Spartak

Kazan

June 30 - Kazan

France

Peru

Australia

Denmark

Brazil

Serbia

Costa Rica

Switz.

Croatia

Iceland

Nigeria

Japan

Colombia

Poland

SenegalMexico

Sweden

S. Korea

Germany

England

Tunisia

Panama

Belgium

Spain

Iran

Morocco

Portugal

B5 pts (1)

5 pts (1)

4 pts (0)

1 pt (-2)

7 pts (2)

5 pts (1)

3 pts (0)

1 pt (3)

9 pts (6)

3 pts (-1)

1 pt (-3)

Argentina 4 pts (-2)

7 pts (4)

5 pts (1)

3 pts(-2)

1 pt (-3)

6 pts (6)

6 pts (6)

0 pt (-4)

0 pt

4 pts

(-8)

4 pts

(1)

3 pts

(1)

0 pt

(2)

(-4)

C D E F G H

Source: FIFA

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

1

1

3

4

2

Uruguay

Egypt

S. Arabia

Russia

9 pts

A

6 pts

(5)

3 pts

(4)

0 pt

(-5)

(-4)

Brazil

6 pts(-1)

6 pts (3)

3 pts (0)

3 pts(-2)

KNOW

BETTER

Costa Rica’s Bryan Ruiz struck a stop-page time penalty that hit the cross-

bar and went in off Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s

back resulting in an own goal that led the match to

end in a draw