FIFA MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dWrKNrWbWQ
Brazil 1-1 Switzerland: World Cup favourites held in Group E opener despite fine Philippe Coutinho goal as Steven Zuber heads in controversial equaliser
- Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho gave Brazil a 20th-minute lead by curling home brilliantly from long range
- Switzerland hit back five minutes after half time when Steven Zuber headed in following a corner kick
- Brazil defender Miranda argued that Zuber had pushed him but referee Cesar Arturo Ramos let the goal stand
The Brazil fans are wearing T-shirts which proclaim that 'Tite is better than Guardiola' and for 45 minutes their team seemed to have brought a new dimension to the World Cup, demonstrating that the relentless press of these times is not necessary when you have players who can wait their moment and then propel the ball around like volts of electricity.
But the search for an understanding of who might emerge as the tournament's threat remains elusive. After a Switzerland equaliser which asked uncomfortable questions about the Brazil defence, the Europeans were allowed to bully the five-time winners out of the game.
There were bitter recriminations from the Brazilians, who suggested defender Miranda had been shoved in the back as Steven Zuber manouvered himself to head in an equaliser and that Manuel Akanji had his hands on Gabriel Jesus in the penalty area, 16 minutes from time. Both incidents escaped the scrutiny of VAR.
Switzerland enjoyed a good start to their 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia as they held tournament favourites Brazil 1-1
Philippe Coutinho (right) hit a stunning opening goal for Brazil against Switzerland on Sunday evening at the Rostov Arena
Coutinho displayed expert technique to bend the ball in from a foot outside the post before it clipped the upright on its way in
But Steven Zuber cancelled out Coutinho's moment of magic by nodding in a second-half leveller from close range
But centre halves are supposed to be built to withstand physical forwards. Miranda was oblivious to Zuber and poorly positioned when the goal went in. The unvarnished truth is that Tite's players went far too easily to ground and could not maintain the rhythm and control which made their opening 45 minutes of the tournament seem such a statement of intent.
Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic called it it right about the goal. 'Their players weren't very well positioned,' he said.
Brazil should have been out of sight, rendering all their belly-aching unnecessary. But the more revealing aspect of Tite's discussion was his suggestion that Brazil had been affected by nerves. 'It's this kind of anxiety that in your first game you want to win, you really want to do it,' he said. 'There's this pressure.'
It's hard to avoid the sense that they are seeking redemption for what they still call 'la fantasma' - 'the ghost' of Belo Horizonte, where Germany beat them 7-1. They'd put 1,440 days between themselves and that catastrophe but it still casts its shadow.
They held nothing back. Tite had said on Saturday that Neymar was 'not 100 per cent right' but even if there was any truth in that, the manager who has rebuilt this team had no intention of acting on it. He threw him into the fray.
Barcelona star Coutinho curled home expertly from long range to give Brazil the lead after 20 minutes in Rostov-on-Don
Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer was at full stretch but did not come close to stopping Coutinho's spectacular strike
A view from behind the Switzerland goal as Coutinho's shot hits the net to break the deadlock in Sunday's World Cup clash
Brazil midfielder Paulinho (left) congratulates Coutinho after the former Liverpool playmaker scored his first World Cup goal
The game was four minutes old when a defensive midfielder, Valon Behrami, hustled Neymar as any self-respecting defensive midfielder would do. The talisman held his ground and held Behrami off, initially seeming to signal that he is back, playing without fear about that metatarsal which had kept him out of competitive football since February.
There were clear minds all around him in that first period. Brazil were prepared to give Switzerland half the field to play in. The ball was generally into their own half before they went in active pursuit of it. And once it belonged to them, they shipped it around the field with the kind of intuition which hinted at the potential for something fearsome in the four weeks which lie ahead.
Extremely early days, but there was something of the 1970 side about this imperturbable quality when they were out of possession.
Almost from the start, Neymar and Philippe Coutinho were the most dangerous combination in the left hand channel, latter feeding former in the game's 11th minute, when Fabian Schaer found the ball under his feet in a nightmare moment and could only half clear the ball to Paulinho, who shot wide.
Neymar also celebrated with Coutinho as he jumped into his international team-mate's arms while Casemiro (left) watched on
Brazil captain Neymar, pictured on the floor after a heavy tackle, was fouled multiple times during a busy performance
Neymar, the world's most expensive player after costing PSG £198m last year, found himself in an unusual position after a fall
Switzerland were level five minutes into the second half when midfielder Zuber headed home following a corner kick
But the opening goal, on 20 minutes, delivered a message for which there was no immediate answer - Neymar and Coutinho exchanging passes in the left hand channel again and shipping out for Marcelo, whose cross was headed by Zuber to the feet of the former Liverpool player. The trajectory of his sublime strike - bending from fully a foot outside the right hand post to strike the inside of the upright on its way into the top corner - was his trademark.
The Swiss equaliser, on 50 minutes, went against the grain, though it presaged a frailty in Brazil. Neymar so often wanted to claim infringements. It was put to Tite afterwards that the Swiss had committed 19 fouls, ten against Neymar, though the European nation were no more than tough and certainly not cynical.
Brazil missed their chances, too. Coutinho chested a Neymar pass to a comfortable shooting distance but sliced wide. Neymar hit the side netting, briefly hobbling on the right foot he had broken. He ran it off but was hobbling as he left the stadium on Sunday night.
On a weekend when some mighty giants have been slayed, the outcome demonstrated that the team which lifts this trophy will need more than the stardust quality. Guile, steadfastness and physicality are all requirements. We wait to see whether Brazil really are equipped to put the past behind them.
A view from behind the Brazil goal as Zuber heads the ball flying towards net as everyone else on the pitch watches on
Brazil defender Miranda (No 3) argued that he had been pushed by Zuber but referee Cesar Arturo Ramos let the goal stand
Twenty-six-year-old Zuber, who plays club football for Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in Germany, celebrated by the corner flag
Zuber's team-mates joined him in the corner of the pitch as Switzerland's players celebrated their equaliser together
The big screen at the Rostov Arena signalled Switzerland's equaliser by displaying the word 'GOAL' surrounded by Swiss flags
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