Tuesday 15 February 2011

Much to improve on

So it's nearly a week since this friendly happened and I'm only writing this blog about it now. I went to the game and couldn't get any decent internet access in Paris for one reason or another which explains why this is late.

So the headlines. France beat Brazil 1-0 thanks to a goal from Karim Benzema just after halftime. Brazil's midfielder Hernanes was sent off just before halftime for a shoulder high kick on Benzema which turned the match.

Click here for highlights

I had a reasonably good view of the red card incident and my gut reaction was that it was serious and that it would be punished. However, I was shocked to see the referee produce a straight red card in the first half of a friendly match. The incident was not replayed on the big screen so I only saw it later on television and Hernanes could clearly have no complaints about a challenge that was dangerous and reckless if not necessarily intentional.


The red card for Hernanes (number 11) changed the game

Brazil had been playing well until the red card creating more chances. Robinho and Alexandre Pato looked to be combining well up front. Dani Alves was causing particular problems for France with his probing runs down the right. After the red card, France were dominant. Robinho dropped back into midfield and Pato could do very little on his own up front. Alves, didn't push forward so much either. This conservative style seemed to encourage France to attack more rather than contain them. The goal came shortly after halftime when Jérémy Menez burst down the right wing past a couple of Brazilian defenders and delivered a cross to an unmarked Benzema at the far post who had a tap in to give the home side the lead. Brazil never really looked like equalising. Benzema was in particular was a menace all night and deservedly picked up the man of the match award.

This was Brazil's second loss in a row and the pressure is now firmly on coach Mano Manezes who seemed to be able to do little to change things when his team were trailing with ten men. Indeed, he seemed reluctant to change the formation late on despite the need for an equaliser by bringing on defensive midfielder Sandro on for Robinho and target man Hulk to replace Pato as the lone striker.

Brazil's next game is against much more modest opposition in the form of Scotland in London in March. Manezes will hope to have Neymar available to him. The 19 year old Santos striker missed this game as he was playing in the South American under 20 championship in Peru. He scored nine goals in that tournament helping Brazil to the title and with it a place at the London Olympics. He will be hoping to bring some magic to the senior side after their lacklustre performance in Paris.

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