Brazil 2-1 Colombia
Dorival Júnior’s Brazil secured a dramatic win over Colombia with a stroke of luck, climbing to second place in the standings.
Just minutes away from dropping to sixth place, Brazil found their savior in Vinícius Júnior. With a touch of fortune, the star forward netted the winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time, sealing a 2-1 victory in the World Cup qualifiers on Saturday morning (Bangladesh time).
A Hard-Fought Battle
Brazil started strong, taking the lead in the 6th minute when Raphinha converted a penalty. The spot-kick was awarded after Colombia’s Daniel Muñoz fouled Vinícius inside the box.
Rodrygo nearly doubled the lead in the 14th minute, but his shot went just wide of the far post.
However, Brazil suffered a setback in the 27th minute when Gerson was forced off due to injury, replaced by Joelinton. Thirteen minutes later, Colombia equalized through Luis Díaz.
Joelinton was largely at fault for the goal, hesitating outside the box after receiving a pass from Marquinhos. Under pressure from a Colombian challenger, he lost possession, allowing James Rodríguez to set up Díaz, who slotted home with a precise strike.
Díaz, who had scored twice in Colombia’s win over Brazil last November, proved to be a thorn in Brazil’s defense once again.
Missed Chances and Intense Second Half
Neither team managed another shot on target in the first half.
Vinícius had an early chance in the second half, firing a low shot in the 47th minute, but Colombia’s goalkeeper Camilo Vargas made a diving save.
Six minutes later, Vargas denied both Raphinha and Vinícius in quick succession, keeping the score level.
At the other end, Alisson made a crucial stop in the 63rd minute, punching away Davinson Sánchez’s header from a James Rodríguez free kick. The ball rebounded off a Brazilian defender and into the net, but the goal was ruled out due to a foul on Alisson by Jefferson Lerma.
Brazil missed another golden opportunity in the 65th minute when Vinícius set up Raphinha inside the box, but the Barcelona forward failed to hit the target.
The match took a physical turn in the 71st minute when Alisson and Sánchez collided in an aerial challenge. While Sánchez was stretchered off, Alisson also couldn’t continue, making way for reserve goalkeeper Bento.
As the game entered the final minutes, both sides pushed for a winner. In the 84th minute, Joelinton wasted a promising chance, firing over the bar.
Vinícius’ Moment of Magic
Then, in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Vinícius delivered the decisive blow. Brazil defender Guilherme Arana had just suffered a painful collision with the post while attempting a header, missing the target. Seconds later, Vinícius unleashed a long-range strike that found the back of the net.
Although Vargas dived in an attempt to save it, the ball took a deflection off a Colombian defender, wrong-footing the goalkeeper and sealing Brazil’s victory.
Standings Shake-Up
With this crucial win, Brazil made a significant jump in the points table. After 13 matches, they now sit in second place with 21 points. Colombia, with 19 points from the same number of matches, has dropped to sixth place.
Argentina remains at the top with 25 points from 12 matches, while Uruguay, with 20 points from 12 games, has slipped to third. The two teams will face off on Saturday morning (Bangladesh time).
Paraguay has moved up to fourth place after defeating Chile, tying Uruguay on points but trailing on goal difference.
