Brazil vs. Venezuela: result and goals in the North America 2026 World Cup qualifiers – International Football – Sports
Brazil received a slap this Thursday in hot Cuiabá: Venezuela, with a great overhead kick goal from striker Eduard Bello, stole a historic 1-1 draw and made him lose the lead in the South American qualifier for the 2026 World Cup.
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes, with a header, opened the score (50) for the five-time world champions at the Arena Pantanal World Cup stadium.
But the Venezuelan attacker (85) equalized with a beautiful pirouette in the final stretch of a game in which Vinotinto, Directed by the Argentinean Fernando Batista, his experience is very earthy like Fernando Diniz’s national team.
Brazil unexpectedly lost its perfect run after having beaten Bolivia (5-1) and Peru (1-0) in September, and lost the lead in the tie with Argentina, which won three consecutive victories by defeating Paraguay earlier (1- 0) in Buenos Aires.
Now, his pride wounded, he must prepare for a highly demanding clash: visit Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay (4th) on Tuesday in Montevideo.
Venezuela, for its part, fell to sixth position, with four points, and will open the fourth day against Chile (5th) on the same day in Maturín.
This is how Venezuela achieved the miracle in Cuiabá
In the voice of its captain, Casemiro, Brazil had recognized its favoritism against the only South American team that has never qualified for a World Cup.
But the Manchester United (ENG) midfielder warned that an eventual victory at the Arena Pantanal, in the state of Mato Grosso (central-west), was going to be worked on.
They did not make a mistake, as the men of “Bocha” Batista stood up well in the first half and showed the difficulties that the Seleção has in executing the score that has made Diniz shine in the Fluminense of Rio de Janeiro.
Although he had control of the ball and ground, he barely required the Venezuelan goalkeeper, Rafael Romo, to respond soberly, in shots from outside the area by Neymar (3), Rodrygo (20) and Casemiro (38).
He played especially on the left wing, that of Guilherme Arana and Vinicius Jr, who returned after missing the September games due to injury.
But he also gave space in that area for attacker Darwin Machís, with a cross that Yangel Herrera missed (15) and a shot (45+1), to wake up Ederson. Batista and his boys became emboldened on Wednesday by saying that they hoped to “steal something from Brazil,” and they accomplished it with defensive solidity, also helped by the lack of poise in the Brazilian offensive circuit.
The Venezuelan plan collapsed, however, upon returning from the dressing rooms. Neymar began to straighten his path in his first dangerous foray at 18, from where he finished off with his right foot for Romo to shine again (49) and send the ball to the corner.
The ’10’ charged at the near post, inside the small area, where the head of Gabriel Magalhaes, 25, reached to shoot the goalkeeper of the Catholic University of Ecuador and score his first goal in his third game with the ‘Amarela’ .
The score by the Arsenal defender (ENG) opened the contest, and both teams played looser and with more spaces, also refreshed by several movements on the bench.
Diniz replaced Richarlison, divorced with the networks, with Gabriel Jesus; while Batista brought in two men with an offensive profile, Bello, Yeferson Soteldo and Jefferson Savarino.
Four minutes after entering the field, the Venezuelan ’10’ took a corner kick (62) that found the head of Yangel Herrera, who did not hesitate to hit the ball to demand Ederson.
Venezuela warned that it would begin to spend more time in Brazilian territory, knowing that it left its rear vulnerable against the fast forwards of the ‘Canarinha’.
But the night in Cuiaba, with a thermal sensation of 32 degrees, was not understood by either Neymar, Vini or Rodrygo. On the contrary, he allied himself with the visitors. Savarino, after receiving a pass from Cristian Cásseres on the right, centered in the heart of the area, where Bello honored his surname with a score worthy of painting and which at the same time made it clear that there is still some work to be done for ‘Dinizism’ to be a registered trademark in the Seleção.
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