Brazil wins Costa Rica 2-0 | World Cup 2018

FULL TIME: Brazil beat Costa Rica 2-0 in Group E match

Philippe Coutinho and Neymar come to the rescue for Brazil as both strike in the injury time to help the five-time champions register their first victory in the 2018 World Cup.

• 90+7 GOAL: Neymar also joins the party in the injury time, strikes to put Brazil 2-0 ahead.
• 90+1' GOAL! Philippe Coutinho scores to give Brazil 1-0 lead.
• Six minutes of injury time added
• 89' Navas gets injured after saving Neymar's cross in the dying moments of the match.
• 86' Four minutes to go with both teams still looking to break the deadlock.
• 85' Coutinho goes for a shot from 25 yards, but his strikes was blocked by Gonzalez.
• 84' Acosta of Costa Rica gets the yellow card.
• 83' Tejedareplaces Guzman for Costa Rica.
• 78' Neymar tries to apply trick after Gonzalez puts his arm on him. Referee takes VAR help and clears the Costa Rican, Brazil not awarded the penalty.
• 75' Substitution for Costa Rica. Christian Gamboa leaves the field, Francisco Calvo comes in.
• 72' Neymar misses a big opportunity to put Brazil ahead, he snatches the ball from Costa Rica's Gamboa near outside the box but his shot goes wide of the target.
• 70' Neymar takes the right corner and Casemiro's header goes straight into the heads of Navas.
• 68' Another substitution for Brazil. Paulinho is off the field, Firmino joins the team for the rest of the match.
• 65' Free kick for Costa Rica.
• 64' Neymar's left-footed shot from outside the box goes straight into the hands of Navas, who fumbles a bit to collect the ball.
• 61' Neymar with the counter attack, dribbles the ball with three defenders and sends in a brilliant pass and his teammate fails to control it.
• 58' Brazil is looking different team altogether in the second half. Philippe Coutinho fires a straight shot and Costa Rica keeper Navas makes no mistake to save it.
• 54' Substitution for Costa Rica. Urena makes way for Bolanos.
• 53' Poor delivery from Marcelo inside the box as his shot finds no player.
• 49' Nothing going in Brazil's way but they come all guns blazing in the second half. Gabriel Jesus beats Navas this time but his header hits the bar. Lucky survival for Costa Rica.
• 47' Marcelo's long pass from the left near the top of the box intercepted by Costa Rican player.
• 46' Douglas Costa replaces Willian for Brazil.

Second half kicks off

Brazil had more of the possession and more of the shots but they could not turn their dominance into goals as the first half of their second World Cup Group E match with Costa Rica ended 0-0.

Half-time: Brazil 0-0 Costa Rica

One minute of injury time added

• 42' Keylor Navas is keeping himself busy to frustrate Brazil.
• 39' First corner of the match and it goes Brazil's way. Willian sends in from the right, Paulinho slips in the box and the danger averted for Costa Rica.
• 34' Brazil's Willian gets inside from the right flank to shoot on his left. His effort goes wide of the post.
• 30' Coutinho gets another chance to open Brazil's account, but his attempt sails over the post.
• 27' Coutinho takes a brilliant pass on the top of the Costa Rica defence, but his poor touch helps Navas stop the ball.
• 26' Disappointment for Brazil. Gabriel Jesus controls Marcelo's pass beautifully and nets into the goal. But it was given offside, hence the goal is disallowed.
• 21' Costa Rica's Gamboa had another effort from the right flank and Venegas gets the header in the box. Brazilian defence manages to save it.
• 19' Another free kick awarded to Brazil and Neymar fails to capitalise on it, his over hit was easily taken by Keylor Navas.
• 17' Neymar takes his second free-kick of the match, this time from the left flank, but the result remains the same as Costa Rica defence again deny their opponents from taking the lead.
• 13' This could be the moment of the match. Gamboa displays exceptional work from the right flank but Borges puts his effort wide of the post.
• 12' Casemiro is off the field for his treatment for a nosebleed.
• 10' Brazil get the free-kick. Neymar goes for it and hits it from the right flank. Costa Rican defence is alert enough to avert the danger as Gonzalez clears the ball.
• 5' Costa Rica's Urena finds Bryan Ruiz's long pass but Thiago Silva tackles the forward to deny his challenge.
• 3' Brazil had two chances early in the game. Bryan Ruiz loses the ball on the edge of the box and Philippe Coutinho's shot goes flies high over the goal post.

Referee blows the whistle and the Group E match between Brazil and Costa Rica gets underway at Saint Petersburg Stadium.

Players are out on the field and it's time for national anthem.

Match kick off time: 17:30 IST

TEAMS:

Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson Becker, Fagner, Thiago Silva (capt), Joao Miranda, Marcelo; Casemiro, Paulinho, Philippe Coutinho; Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar

Coach: Tite

Costa Rica (5-3-2): Keylor Navas; Cristian Gamboa, Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Bryan Oviedo (capt); Celso Borges, David Guzman, Bryan Ruiz; Johan Venegas, Marcos Urena

Coach: Oscar Ramirez

Neymar will start Brazil's crunch World Cup clash with Costa Rica on Friday as coach Tite kept faith in the side that started a disappointing 1-1 draw to open their campaign against Switzerland. 

Courtesy: TOI