Last update 10 June, 2013 by Alberto Llopis
Brazil won today by 3-0 to France in a friendly just six days after his debut in the Confederations Cup and managed to chase away the ghosts that haunted him due to the lack of victories over world champions. And is that the victory allows the team led by the Brazilian coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, put an end to 21 years without victory over France, the team that eliminated him from three World Cups, and four years without beating any other world champion.
The five-time world champions, which this week fell to 22nd place in the FIFA world rankings, they didn't know what it was like to prevail over another world champion since 14 November 2009, when they were imposed by 1-0 England.
The result allows the Brazilians to gain confidence just six days before their debut in the Confederations Cup, next Saturday in Brasilia against Japan, and achieve the resounding victory that the team had hoped for since Scolari's return to the bench.
Although he dominated the first half, Brazil had to wait until the second half to show greater forcefulness and only guaranteed the win after several modifications, to the point that two of the goals were scored by players who started as substitutes (Hernane and Lucas) and already in the final minutes of the game.
The fans who went to the Arena del Gremio stadium could not see Neymar shine, since the new hiring of Barcelona was lost in the French marking, but they could perceive that young Oscar, Del Chelsea, assumed the position of main creative of the team.
Brazil had their first opportunity a few seconds into the commitment before a spectacular exit from goalkeeper Lloris but none dared to kick directly into the empty goal.
France, with Benzema isolated at the top and Josuha Guilavogui unexpectedly lined up as second attacker, managed to balance the game and came to surprise goalkeeper Julio César in some moments of the first half.
Despite the fact that Marcelo's entry into the wing gave him greater offensive power against the team that drew with England last Sunday, Brazil did not make a great display in the first 45 minutes and few times it brought danger to Lloris' goal.
The game only gained excitement from the ninth minute of the second half when Oscar, free in the middle of the French area, received a sugary pass from Fred from the left and settled the ball in the corner of the Gallic goal.
The annotation encouraged the Brazilians, who began to believe more in the possibility of a victory and to take risks with more team moves and more shots from a distance.
When Brazilians dominated with Oscar as their best player, Scolari decided to rest two of the starters with the most games in recent weeks (Oscar y Hulk) to give Fernando and Lucas the opportunity.
The French coach, Didier Deschamps, took advantage of the moment to completely renew his equipment with three modifications, including the departure of Real Madrid player Karim Benzema, lined up after recovering from knee pain that prevented him from playing in the friendly with Uruguay but showed little in Porto Alegre.
With ten minutes to go and it seemed that the two teams, totally renovated, they were satisfied with the pyrrhic Brazilian victory, Hernanes, who had entered the place of Luiz Gustavo a minute before, turned his first chance into a goal.
Hernanes managed to push a ball that he received from Neymar after a lift made from the right by Lucas.
And already in the minutes of injury Lucas converted the third Brazilian goal from a penalty.