The quarterfinal match against Chile was tight and when Gabriel Jesus was shown a red card, it became challenging for the Selecao to pull off this match, still, they maintained their authority, but the numerical advantage always bothered and in the end, Brazil survive the Chilean scare.
Brazil went unbeaten to qualify top of their group and reach the quarter-final. They won the first three matches, but a disappointing 1-1 draw with Ecuador last time out meant that their 10-match winning run in all competitions was ended.
As for Chile, they finished fourth in their group after a strong start to the tournament.
They struggled last time out though and come into today on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Paraguay.
Tite rested a lot of his key players in the last game against Ecuador, so he made eight changes today. Ederson replaced Alisson in goal, with Danilo, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Fred, Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and Neymar also being brought into the side.
Martin Lasarte made just three changes to his team after their loss to Paraguay. Alexi Sanchez returns from injury to start, with Vegas and Pulgar also brought in. Alarcon, Pinares and Brereton all dropped to the bench.
The last time these two sides met in the Copa America was in the 2007 quarterfinal, with Brazil coming out on top that day with a 6-1 victory over Chile.
Chile were having a lot of the ball in the opening minutes here and were knocking it around comfortably in the midfield. Sanchez skipped his way past three challenges before being knocked to the ground by Firmino.
Ederson did well to clear his lines as Vidal rushed to close him down and he picked out Fred. The midfielder turned away from his marker before lifting a long ball over the top towards Neymar, but it was over his head and straight to Bravo.
Vargas stepped across Danilo and gave away a free-kick in a good position for Brazil.
Neymar curled it towards the far post, but Isla glanced it out for a corner just ahead of Silva.
Sanchez drifted out to the left to get on the ball and he cut away from Danilo before floating a cross into the near post. It was just too high for Vargas though, and Ederson came out to collect it.
Isla drove forward down the right, but could not find any space for a cross, so he pulled it back to Vegas. Despite being a long way from goal, he tried his luck, but it was straight at Ederson, who parries away.
Richarlison danced away from three challenges as he cut inside from the left before laying the ball off to Neymar on the edge of the box. He instantly had two defenders around him and he could not carve out space for the shot.
Sierralta's passed to Isla is picked off by Richarlison and he set off on the counter. He got away from the defender before drilling a long-range shot on goal from the left-wing, but it was straight into Bravo's gloves.
Sierralta, again, put a good cross into the box from the right and Sanchez nodded it down to Aranguiz before getting it back. He tried to create some space for a shot, but could not find a way past Marquinhos.
Sanchez chipped the ball over Marquinhos to pick out the run of Vargas into the box and he brought it down before lifting his shot over the onrushing Ederson, but it bounced wide just as the offside flag went up.
In the opening twenty minutes, Chile were dominating the possession and penned Brazil back.
Neymar broke through - None of the Chile defenders could close down Neymar as he drove down the left and he lifted a great cross into the far post. Firmino stretched to reach it on the volley and ended up sending it just wide.
Vargas broke for Chile on the counter and he was up against Lodi on the right. He had to run alone, so he drills a shot across the goal from a tight angle but Ederson gets down quickly tipping it wide.
The Chile defenders sat back and allowed Danilo to carry the ball forward, so he decided to have a shot from the edge of the box. He drilled it towards the far top corner, but it sailed just over the bar.
At the stroke of halftime, Neymar's through-ball was almost cut out by Vegas, but his deflection ended up helping it onto Jesus. He tried to lift his shot over Bravo, who rushed off his line, but the keeper tipped it over the bar.
Tite brought on Lucas Paqueta for Firmino, who cut a sorry figure and the impact was immediate after halftime.
Paqueta knocked one to Neymar, who flicked it up and Vegas' attempted clearance was cut out by the substitute. He coolly slotted his effort past Bravo.
And, two minutes later, madness took over Jesus.
Mena was waiting to bring the ball down and Jesus flew into him, with a very high boot and caught the defender in the face with his foot. The referee was in no doubt and quickly goes to his pocket to pull out the red card and Brazil were down to 10 men.
With the numerical advantage, Chile earned a free-kick.
Pulgar went for goal from the free-kick and he lifted his effort over the wall and was trying to curl it towards the near top corner. There was not enough dip on it though and it sailed just over the crossbar.
Neymar took charge of controlling the centre of the park and link-up with players upfront.
Casemiro unleashed his guarding the defence capabilities along with the centre-backs.
Brazil were edging their way upfield down the left, with Lodi trying to slide the ball through Richarlison ahead of him.
He could not find a way past Sierralta though and Chile came away with it.
After an hour, Vargas thought he'd equalized for Chile after a free-kick was knocked down to him and he thumped a close-range effort past Ederson. The linesman's flag goes straight up and the VAR check showed it was the right decision.
The only Brazilian player sent off in the Tite era is Jesus.
In addition to today, he also saw red against Peru in the 2019 Copa America Final.
Brazil broke quickly on the counter and Neymar went ahead of Medel down the left of the box. Bravo rushed off his line, so the forward tried to loop his effort over the keeper, but Bravo got a hand to it.
Mena whipped a great cross into the box from the left and he picked out Brereton in the middle.
He flicked his header on and it looped over Ederson before bouncing off the top of the crossbar.
Brazil were being pinned back deep in their own half as Chile attacked again and Mena floated another good ball over the top into the box. Vargas peeled away to the back post, but Lodi got ahead of him to put it out for a corner.
Vargas' shot hit the back of Vidal, but it bounced up nicely for Meneses, who brought it down on his chest. He drilled his shot towards goal and Ederson, who saw it late, did well to parry the shot away.
Neymar was a continuous threat and tested the Chilean defence with his skill, but, perhaps, he would need to sharpen his finishing more.
Isla squared it to Palacios in space on the edge of the box, but he leaned back as he hit the shot and blazed his effort high over the bar.
In the stoppage time, Isla squared one to Palacios in space on the edge of the box, but he leaned back as he hit the shot and blazed his effort high over the bar.
That was the last chance for Chile for a comeback.
Brazil would face Peru in the semifinals.
Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 03/07/2021 10-men Brazil beat Chile in a tight match
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Faisal Caesar
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