Brazil 1-0 Columbia Friendly: Winning Skipper Neymar Scores Free-Kick In 83”, Proves Dunga’s Strategy Will Work For Brazil After Awful World Cup 2014. After a disastrous World Cup Brazil, Brazil’s national team captained by striker Neymar overcame a less than top-form Columbia 1-0 after a bitter face off in the FIFA tournament. The humiliated side makes its first appearance after losing the semi-final 7-1 to winners Germany. Columbia’s last game with Brazil saw striker Neymar leave the match with a broken vertebrae.
Coach Dunga’s first Brazilian squad after replacing coach Louis Felipe Scolari included the eight players from the ‘heartbreaking’ semifinal that clobbered the team against champions Germany. Dunga said he would give the senior players another chance and said that experience was integral to Brazil’s future and there was no need to start from scratch.
Dunga’s full squad includes Goalkeepers: Jefferson, Rafael Cabral
Defenders: David Luiz, Marquinhos, Gil, Miranda, Maicon, Filipe Luis, Alex Sandro, Danilo
Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo, Elias, Fernandinho, Ramires, Everton Ribeiro, Oscar, Hulk, Ricardo Goulart, Willian
Forwards: Neymar, Coutinho, Diego Tardelli
(source: sportsmole.com)
Brazil’s new coach made a wholesale modification to the team after adopting a more European format than the one used by Scolari, which relied heavily on striker Neymar.
Golden boot award winner James Rodriguez started for his team in midfield with South American fans citing the newfound World Cup star as one of the best footballers in the world. Neymar is one of the youngest players to captain Brazil and he made it a memorable one marked with a free-kick that landed in the net during 83rd minute. An earlier attempt by Brazil’s Diego Tardelli was called offside, making Neymar’s goal stand out as a sign that the young striker is in top form at the international level.
“Colombia played most of the second half down a man after midfielder Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the 49th minute following a second yellow card for a foul on Neymar and there was no shortage of effort — or indeed rough challenges — from both teams,” USA Today reported via Malay Mail.
