Brazil vs Mexico: Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 to reach quarter-finals at 2018 FIFA World Cup

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE4SOruc2nUysAWBNFcvtYsozvcFGUr_ChiRbeFaih6P3I_nTwYGcBMVpzs29XqikAGza77IEPRHcm6xzjey3dhVdIj_W-XyJasNKILa6dC6iR66V85rbPhOUxxepzuVdIpNO93ilD8Dy/s1600/brazil-neymar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE4SOruc2nUysAWBNFcvtYsozvcFGUr_ChiRbeFaih6P3I_nTwYGcBMVpzs29XqikAGza77IEPRHcm6xzjey3dhVdIj_W-XyJasNKILa6dC6iR66V85rbPhOUxxepzuVdIpNO93ilD8Dy/s640/brazil-neymar1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neymar celebrates after scoring the opening goal. </td></tr> </tbody></table> Brazil roared in the World Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Mexico on Monday as Neymar shone with a goal and an assist that dumped the central Americans out at the last-16 stage for the seventh straight occasion.<br /> <br /> The PSG forward slid home in the second half and then teed up Roberto Firmino late on as the five-time champions beat an otherwise stubborn Mexico, whose World Cup began with such promise with a victory over champions Germany but ended in familiar fashion in the first knockout round.<br /> <br /> It was the seventh World Cup running that Brazil have reached the last eight, where they will now face Belgium or Japan, while Mexico have not made it to that stage since they hosted the tournament in 1986.<br /> <br /> Mexico, who enjoyed an enviable recent record against Brazil having won seven of their previous 15 matches against them, were a threat on the counter in the first half but then faded without ever really being put to the sword.<br /> <br /> A glaring spotlight had been on Neymar after his opening three performances saw him miss a litany of chances, frequently squander possession and spend far too long on the turf.<br /> <br /> Yet he answered a number of questions with a much more positive display and a decisive finish early in the second half from a move that he had started himself, although his propensity for histrionics were again in evidence.<br /> <br /> Minutes after the restart Brazil took the lead in exquisite fashion with Neymar starting and ending the move.<br /> <br /> He darted across the edge of the area before a perfect backheel released Willian, whose low cross fizzed into the danger area where Neymar slid in to turn the ball home.<br /> <br /> It was a choking blow for Mexico, who had been the better side for the opening half an hour, pegging Brazil back and creating several half chances.<br /> <br /> <br /> Brazil had to wait until the 88th minute to put the match to bed as Neymar was the architect, crossing for Firmino to tap the ball home.<br /> <br /> They will have to do without defensive midfielder Casemiro in the quarters, however, after he picked up his second booking.<br /> <br /> Credit: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Brazil national football team Brazil vs Mexico Featured FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Igor Akinfeev Mexico Football Team Neymar Jr. Sports Brazil vs Mexico: Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 to reach quarter-finals at 2018 FIFA World Cup

Neymar celebrates after scoring the opening goal.  Brazil roared in the World Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Mexico on Monda...

Read more »

Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table and seal progress to knock-out stages as Group F winners

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKlvrxaNVOB1zTDMdAR842kGP_wjI6jVj30NZmdBgzCMhCqCYg0SJd_iB_fC_2qMs_bFftLZlusM94vOLPrGjCoMsdVbU2y6k5uduwSH9KOTdjwij03FuFqDPrpRg921jMuVyntObn2mJ/s1600/Sweden+vs+Mexico.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKlvrxaNVOB1zTDMdAR842kGP_wjI6jVj30NZmdBgzCMhCqCYg0SJd_iB_fC_2qMs_bFftLZlusM94vOLPrGjCoMsdVbU2y6k5uduwSH9KOTdjwij03FuFqDPrpRg921jMuVyntObn2mJ/s640/Sweden+vs+Mexico.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table</td></tr> </tbody></table> Sweden bounced back from the disappointment of last weekend's last-minute defeat to Germany in emphatic style on Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over Mexico as Janne Andersson's side sealed their progress to the knockout stages as Group F winners.<br /> <br /> After finishing the first half goalless, Sweden broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half through full-back Ludwig Augustinsson before captain Andreas Granqvist doubled their lead from the penalty spot just after the hour mark.<br /> <br /> Sweden's place in the last 16 was secured after Mexico defender Edson Álvarez put to ball into the back of his own net when the ball bounced off his hand as he tried to clear a cross.<br /> <br /> Despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament, Mexico joined Sweden in the knock-out stages after Germany failed to beat South Korea in Kazan as the world champions were eliminated from the World Cup.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Some stats for you</b><br /> <br /> <ul> <li>    Sweden have now reached the Last 16 of the World Cup on each of the last four occasions in which they have qualified for the tournament.</li> <li>    This was Sweden’s biggest win in a World Cup game since they defeated Bulgaria 4-0 in 1994 in a third-place playoff match.</li> <li>    Mexico have reached the Last 16 in each of the last eight World Cup tournaments they have taken part in.</li> <li>    Andreas Granqvist is the first Swede to score two or more goals in a single World Cup tournament since Henrik Larsson in 2002 (3 goals).</li> <li>    This was Mexico’s worst defeat at the World Cup since they were defeated 0-6 by Germany in 1978.</li> <li>    Mexico full-back Edson Alvarez scored the seventh own-goal of this tournament – more than there has ever been in any previous World Cup.</li> <li>    Ludwig Augustinsson’s opener for Sweden was the first goal he has ever scored at international level with the senior team, with what was his first shot at this tournament.</li> <li>    Mexico had 20 shots today but failed to find the net with any of them – they last had more shots without scoring in a World Cup game against Germany in 1978 (22).</li> <li>    Mexico’s Jesús Gallardo was shown a yellow card after just 15 seconds in this game – it is the fastest anyone has ever been shown a card at the World Cup.</li> <li>    This was the first game of this year’s World Cup tournament in which both teams named unchanged line-ups from their previous matches.</li> </ul> <br /> <br /> source: telegraph.co.uk<br /> <br />

2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Andreas Granqvist Edson Álvarez Featured FIFA World Cup Ludwig Augustinsson Mexico Football Team Sports Sweden Football Team Sweden vs Mexico Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table and seal progress to knock-out stages as Group F winners

Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table Sweden bounced back from the disappointment of last weekend's last-minute defeat to Germany i...

Read more »