#Bra fans celebrate their #WorldCup last-16 win over #Mex pic.twitter.com/PehVewLfG5
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 2, 2018
Further reading
Guardian match report: Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Jonathan Wilson was at the Samara Arena for the Guardian and filed this on-the-whistle report.
A word on Neymar: This may have been the Brazilian’s best performance of the tournament to date, but once again he’s making headlines for the wrong reasons. There was some needle going on between him and Miguel Layun, a second-half substitute, and at one stage, Neymar found himself sitting on the touchline near the technical areas with the ball out of play and between his outstretched legs.
With the fourth official standing right behind Neymar, Layun bent down to pick up the ball and as he did so, stepped on the Brazilian’s ankle. Neymar reacted as if he’d been poked by a cattle prod - writhing around in faux agony in a bid to get the Mexican sent off. His histrionics were comically amateurish and the referee didn’t buy them. Indeed, it may not be too much of a stretch to speculate that Neymar’s ridiculously over-the-top reaction may have helped Layun avoid the red card he deserved for his sneaky stamp.
Updated
Match report: Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Here’s our on-the-whistle snap report from the Samara Arena, where Neymar and Roberto Firmino got the goals as Brazil advanced to the quarter-finals.
Rate! Rate! Rate!
It’s time to mark the players out of 10. Among those who impressed your minute-by-minute commentator: for Brazil, Willian was the stand-out player, while Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Thiago Silva also impressed. Among the Mexicans to do their country proud, Hirving Lozano Hector Herrera and Andres Guardado all had good games, while Guillermo Ochoa was decent between the sticks.
Full-time: Brazil 2-0 Mexico
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over. Brazil advance to the quarter-finals courtesy of goals from Neymar and Roberto Firmino. They scored two tap-ins from a combined distance of about five yards, but they all count. Mexico exit the competition in the first knockout round for the seventh time in a row.
Updated
90+5 min: Mexico’s players plug on, but they know the jig is up., Hector Herrera and Layun combine down the right and play the ball inside to Vela, who loses it.
90+4 min: A Layun cross hits Thiago Silva’s head and soars into the air. Alisson waits for it to drop and takes possession.
90+3 min: Spare a thought for Mexico, who are about to exit the World Cup at the same stage of the competition for the seventh consecutive time. They’re nothing if not consistent. I’ve enjoyed watching them play in this tournament and they did well today, particularly in the first half when they gave Brazil plenty to think about.
90+1 min: We’re in the first of six recommended minutes of added time. Brazil substitution: Marquinhos on for Willian. While that’s going on, Mexico’s Andres Guardado gets booked for dissent after having a moan at the referee.
89 min: It’s another tap-in, with Bobby Firmino poking home from about a foot out. Layun lost possession up the pitch and Neymar galloped towards goal with the ball at his feet. Drawing Guillermo off his line, Neymar tried to toe-poke the ball past the goalkeeper, who got a touch. Unfortunately, he could only help it on its way to Firmino, whose task could not have been simpler at the far post.
Updated
GOAL! Brazil 2-0 Mexico (Firmino 89)
Brazil double their lead courtesy of the substitute.
88 min: On the touchline, Mexico manager Joan Carlos Osorio is going berserk with the fourth official. I know not why.
86min: Mexico win a corner when an attempted clearance by Fagner goes out of play. Brazil substitution: Roberto Firmino on for Philippe Coutinho. He comes on before the corner is taken. When the ball’s sent into the mixer, Carlos Vela is penalised for offside
84 min: Hugo Ayala plays a long cross-field diagonal to Hector Herrera on the far touchline. He attempts to cut inside but is unable to do so and Mexico end up playing the ball back into their own half.
82 min: Thiago Silva goes down injured in his own penalty after a clash with Hirving Lozano. The Mexican caught him in the ribs as he tried to chase the ball to the byline and the Brazilian is milking it for all its worth. There’s a break in play as he receives treatment.
80 min: Fernandinho replaces Paulinho, as Brazil try to shore up their defence. He’ll sit in front of the back four alongside Casemiro in a bid to keep the Mexicans at bay.
77 min: Hector Herrera plays a long ball to Hirving Lozano, who traps the ball expertly on the left side of the Brazil box. He tries to pick out Jimenez with a cross, but the ball goes through to Alisson. Goal kick for Brazil.
Updated
77 min: Carlos Salcedo is booked for a late challenge on Neymar.
76 min: Carlos Vela crosses into the Brazil box from the byline and Casemiro heads clear.
73 min: According to ITV’s go-to refereeing expert, Mark Clattenburg, Layun should have been given a red card for violent conduct. It’s unclear whether or not our match referee Gianluca Rocchi was advised by his VAR officials, but he did give Layun a bit of a talking-to after his stamp on Neymar.
71 min: Neymar receives treatment from the Brazil medical team, his face a mask of agony (genuine or pretend). Layun caught him with a sneaky stamp as he went to pick up the ball from between a seated Neymar’s legs by the touchline for a throw-in. Neymar’s subsequent histrionics were ridiculous, but Layun escapes a yellow card.
Updated
70 min: Neymar goes to ground after a tussle of some sort with Layun and begins rolling around in agony. Replays suggest the Mexican caught him on the ankle.
69 min: Hector Herrera has a shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked. The ball breaks to Andres Guardado, who follows up with a low strike of his own from 25 yards. That too is blocked.
67 min: Brazil drive forward on the counter with Willian on the ball as he gallops down the left and Neymar and Gabriel Jesus up in support. Willian picks out Neymar, whose low rasping shot is deflected narrowly wide of the upright for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
Updated
65 min: Forced to go in search of a goal, Mexico are looking increasingly vulnerable and fatigued since going behind and you’d expect another Brazil goal would finish them off altogether. Where there’s life there’s hope, however, and Lozano drills the ball low and hard across the face of the Brazil goal. There’s nobody on hand in a green shirt to poke the ball home.
64 min: At the other end of the field, Ochoa is forced into action, saving Willian’s rising drive and putting the ball out for a corner.
63 min: Casemiro has picked up a yellow card for some indiscretion or other. Amid all the excitement, I missed whatever it was he did to dirty his bib. In more informative news, Carlos Vela brings a smart save out of Alisson, with a shot from distance the goalkeeper was forced to tip on to his crossbar.
Updated
60 min: Final Mexico substitution: Javier Hernandez off, Wolves new boy Raul Jimenez on.
58 min: Brazil go forward, with Filipe Luis on the ball. He lays it off to Neymar on the edge of the box. He finds Willian, who plays a weighted pass to Fagner, who pulls the ball back to Paulinho. His rising drive from 18 yards is saved by Ochoa.
Updated
57 min: Mexican substitution just before that free-kick: Jonathan Dos Santos on for right-back Edson Alvarez.
56 min: Brazil win a free-kick wide on the right for a Hector Herrera foul on Willian. The Mexican picks up a booking that will rule him out of the next match, should Mexico prevail in this one. Neymar takes the free-kick and sends the ball into the Mexican penalty area, Hugo Ayala heads clear.
54 min: Mexico win a corner after having a penalty appeal turned down for a Thiago Silva tackle on Carlos Vela in the Brazil penalty area. The ball’s played long to Layun, who chests it down and unleashes a shot. It’s deflected to Alisson.
53 min: Neymar backheels to Willian on the edge of the Mexico penalty area and continues a curling run into the box towards goal. Willian drives through the penalty area and drills the ball low and hard across the face of goal. At the far post, Neymar is second in the queue of Brazilians waiting to poke hime. He does exactly that from about three yards.
Updated
GOAL! Brazil 1-0 Mexico (Neymar 51)
The favourites take the lead courtesy of Neymar.
Updated
50 min: Mexico attack on the break from a Brazil corner and their left-back Jesus Gallardo unleashes a shot from distance. High and wide.
48 min: Neymar wins a corner off Layun and plays the ball quickly to Philippe Coutinho. They make their way towards the Mexican penalty area where Philippe Coutinho is able to cut inside on to his right foot and unleash a rasping drive from just inside the penalty area. Guillermo Ochoa dives to his right and saves.
Updated
47 min: Hugo Ayala hacks clear as Brazil try to play the ball through the gap between himself and Gallardo.
Second half: Brazil 0-0 Mexico
46 min: Brazil get the ball rolling, while Mexico have made one substitute at half-time. Miguel Layun is on for the veteran Raphael Marquez, who may have played his last game for his country unless they win this match.
Updated
Think Brazil will win this via one of those Neymar runs beyond Alvarez. Mexico lovely to watch in full flow but also quite frustrating and Marquez became less effective as handbrake as half went on.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) July 2, 2018
It’s been a fascinating contest: Mexico have been causing Brazil a lot of problems, stretching Brazil and trying to isolate their full-backs, before taking them on. Their tactic of placing three players on the halfway line for Brazil corners is risky, but is paying dividends. Brazil have to keep men back to keep an eye on them, while their presence is also a huge help for when Mexico attack on the break.
Half-time: Brazil 0-0 Mexico
The sides are level at the break, with no goals yet. Both sides have had their chances and it’s probably fair to say that both managers will be pleased enough with what they’ve seen. Mexico boss Juan Carlos Osorio has every right to be very pleased indeed with the manner in which his players have gone about their business.
Updated
42 min: Brazil win a corner and – as they have on each occasion their opponents do so – Mexico position three men on the halfway line, presumably to keep Brazil from bringing their big men forward and to be on hand for any counter-attacks. Brazil take the corner, Mexico break up the pitch and Filipe Luis is booked for hacking down Carlos Vela.
40 min: Neymar and Coutinho combine down the left flank and the Barcelona man sends in a cross. It’s overhit, but Willian picks up the ball on the right before unleashing a cross/shot from a tight angle. Ochoa gets down quickly to smother the ball.
39 min: Edson Alvarez is booked for a late lunge on Neymar, that leaves the Brazilian lying on the ground holding his leg. Free-kick for Brazil, to the left side of the Mexico penalty area about 30 yards from goal. Neymar takes it, but his effort is a little too high and wide of the Mexican goal.
37 min: Philippe Coutinho tries a shot from distance, but it’s blocked on the edge of the Mexico penalty area.
35 min: Having been dominated for the opening 20 minutes, Brazil are enjoying a period in the ascendency in what is a fascinating and very absorbing contest.
Updated
32 min: Paulinho drives through the centre before picking out Willian on his right. Brazil continue to play keep-ball and eventually, Gabriel Jesus cuts into the Mexico penalty area and drives the ball goalwards. Ochoa palms it away and it drops for the Brazilian again about seven yards from goal. His weak, scuffed effort is blocked by Gallardo.
Updated
31 min: Brazil attack and Neymar gets on the ball. He tries to cut in from the left flank, but is dispossessed by a splendid tackle from Edson Alvarez.
29 min: Carlos Vela chooses to shoot from distance when perhaps he should have taken on Fagner and crossed to Javier Hernandez in a good position. His effort is sliced badly wide
Updated
26 min: Brazil win a free-kick wide on the left. Neymar floats the ball into the penalty area, where Gabriel Jesus gets a flick. After a period of sustained Brazilian pressure, Guillermo Ochoa is forced to punch clear. Gabriel Jesus follows up with a shot that is blocked by Ayala, before Philippe Coutinho fires over the bar. There was blind panic in the Mexican ranks there.
26 min: Guillermo Ochoa has to be quick off his line to block a Neymar shot from a tight angle. The Brazilian No10 had made inroads into the Mexico penalty area after beating Edson Alvarez for pace.
Updated
24 min: “It’s a bit early to be pressing panic buttons, particularly for this Brazil side, but I think you’d have to say that Mexico have started the better of the two teams,” muses ITV’s co-comms man Ally McCoist.
22 min: Carlos Vela picks out Hector Herrera in acres of space on the edge of the penalty area. Instead of hitting it first time, he cuts back on to his left foot and tries to unleash a shot that was smothered. A great scoring opportunity goes to waste for Mexico.
Updated
20 min: Gabriel Jesus advances into the Mexico penalty area on the left side, turns and passes to Neymar on the edge of it. He runs into a wall of green and is dispossessed.
18 min: Carlos Salcedo puts a Willian cross behind for a Brazil corner. It’s taken and Mexico embark on a counter-attack, with Vela picking out Lozano with a cross-field pass. He tries a shot, which is blocked by Felipe Luis.
16 min: Both Brazil full-backs are looking vulnerable and Andres Guardado and Hirving Lozano seem to have the measure of Fagner and Felipe Luis respectively.
Updated
15 min: Hirving Lozano takes on and beats Felipe Luis and sends a pacy, diagonal cross flashing through the Brazil penalty area. It’s too far away from Javier Hernandez for the striker to get a touch.
13 min: The corner’s taken and headed clear at the near post, but Mexico continue to apply pressure to Brazil. They’ve looked the better team in these entertaining early stages.
12 min: Mexico attack again and Hirving Lozano wins a corner after good work from Carlos Vela.
11 min: Brazil have started slowly and have looked vulnerable to Mexican attacks down the left. This time it’s Hernandez who runs at Brazil right-back Fagner, before cutting inside and being dispossessed by Miranda.
9 min: Carlos Vela wins a corner off Fagner with another attack down the left. The ball’s swung into the mixer, Rafa Marquez wins the header and Javier Hernandez ends up contesting a high ball with Brazil goalkeeper Alisson. He’s penalised for offside.
Updated
8 min: Mexico attack down the left flank again, but Brazil get back in numbers to defend, forcing them backwards.
6 min: Mexico go forward again, with Raphael Marquez and Guardado. The 39-year-old skipper turns and passes the ball back to his defence and a chorus of “oles” goes up in the stands as Messrs Alvarez, Salcedo, Ayala and Gallardo pass it over and back across the field between themselves.
5 min: Neymar stings the palms of Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa with a fierce drive from distance.
Updated
4 min: Hugo Ayala shepherds a ball down the flank out of play, under pressure from Philippe Coutinho.
3 min: Nothing comes of the corner and Brazil clear their lines.
2 min: Guardado down the left again and this time he gets in a cross. Brazil goalkeeper Alisson is forced to punch the ball clear and it drops kindly for Hirving Lozano, whose shot on goal is blocked by Miranda. The ball goes out for a Mexico corner. They’ll be pleased with this start.
Updated
1 min: Andres Guardado gets down the left flank towards the Brazil byline, but puts the ball out of play for a goal-kick as he attempts to control it.
Brazil v Mexico is GO!!!
1 min: Play is under way in the Samara Arena, where Mexico have kicked off. Their players wear green shirts, white shorts and burgundy socks. Brazil’s wear yellow shirts with green trim, blue shorts and white socks.
A brief delay: Brazil’s players and fans continue singing their national anthem long after the music stops playing, resulting in a pause before Mexico’s rings out around the stadium. They’re two of this World Cup’s jauntier numbers. Kick-off is just moments away ...
Not long now: Led by the match officials, the teams walk out on to the Samara sward and line up for the national anthems. It’s a full house and a riot of bright colour on a sweltering hot day in southwestern Russia.
On the UK coverage: Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill is one of ITV’s pundits and says he fears that Mexico won’t be physical strong enough to cope with Brazil today and says he expects Brazil to win. Alongside him, Slaven Bilic says the reason Mexico constantly fall at this Round of 16 hurdle might simply to be down to the fact that they’re not good enough. He points out that their squad doesn’t have as much strength in depth as bigger nations and that they and teams like them often just run out of energy.
Only two players have started at least one game in five World Cup tournaments:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 2, 2018
🇲🇽 Antonio Carbajal
🇲🇽 Rafael Márquez
Mexican royalty. 👑 pic.twitter.com/Or0ytl6xEH
Two changes for Brazil: Fagner and Filipe Luis are in for Marcelo and Danilo, as expected.
Three changes for Mexico: Hugo Ayala comes in for Hector Moreno, as expected. Elsewhere, Marco Fabian and Miguel Layun make way from the side that started against Sweden, with Andres Guardado and Raphael Marquez coming in.
Brazil v Mexico line-ups
Brazil: Alisson, Fagner, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Filipe Luis, Paulinho, Casemiro, Willian, Coutinho, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus.
Subs: Cassio, Pedro Geromel, Renato Augusto, Marcelo, Marquinhos, Danilo, Fernandinho, Fred, Firmino, Taison, Ederson.
Mexico: Ochoa, Alvarez, Ayala, Salcedo, Gallardo, Herrera, Marquez, Guardado, Vela, Hernandez, Lozano.
Subs: Jose de Jesus Corona, Gutierrez, Jonathan, Layun, Fabian, Jimenez, Giovani, Jesus Corona, Peralta, Aquino, Talavera.
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)
Early team news: Mexico central defender Hector Moreno has to sit this one out after picking up his second booking of the tournament in Mexico’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sweden. Hugo Ayala is expected to replace him.
Brazil coach Tite has already named his team. Filipe Luis, who came on for the injured Marcelo, against Serbia, will start at left-back in the only change of personnel.
Some pre-match listening: Max Rushden was joined by Greg Bakowski and Paolo Bandini for yesterday’s episode of our World Cup Football Daily podcast, as they looked back on a hectic day’s action and previewed today’s two knockout matches. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can download our award-winning podcast in all the usual places.
Round of 16: Brazil v Mexico
Samara is the venue for this meeting between Brazil and Mexico, with a place in the quarter-finals against Belgium of Japan up for grabs. Having made it through their group by the skin of their teeth despite a strong and impressive start to the tournament, Mexico will be hoping to record their first ever victory over Brazil in six encounters between the sides and in a World Cup full of surprises, El Tri will fancy their chances. Kick-off is at 3pm (BST), but stay tuned for team news and build-up in the meantime.
