Brazil took on Portugal in a friendly international at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have already qualified for the 2014 World Cup finals by virtue of being the hosts, while their European opponents are on course to joining them.
It proved to a thoroughly entertaining match that the South American giants won 3-1, with Neymar scoring a wonderful solo goal.
Read how the game unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live coverage of the international friendly between Brazil and Portugal at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. This is ‘just’ a friendly but it is between two of the strongest sides in world football, so stay tuned on this page to follow all the action.
Brazil warmed up for tonight’s clash with a 6-0 defeat of Australia on Saturday, with Jo scoring twice. Neymar, Ramires, Alexandre Pato and Luiz Gustavo also finding the target.
Meanwhile, Portugal are heading into tonight’s match on the back of a 4-2 away victory over Northern Ireland in a World Cup Group F qualifier that saw them move up to second, just a point behind leaders Russia.
Paulo Bento's Portugal side will be without star forward Cristiano Ronaldo for tonight’s match. The Real Madrid man is suffering from tendonitis and is already back in Spain. However, he has reportedly started training with his club side in order to be fit for this weekend’s La Liga clash.
Brazil will also miss a couple of star names. Defender Daniel Alves and striker Hulk are suffering with knee and thigh injuries respectively, which could mean that Maicon will start tonight alongside David Luiz and Thiago Silva in defence.
Brazil, who won the Confederations Cup last summer, have lost just one game this year. That defeat came against Switzerland by a single-goal margin, so the odds are in favour of the South American giants to pick up one more victory tonight. The five-time world champions would also need to maintain their momentum as they will not be playing any competitive match until next summer’s World Cup finals.
Portugal, though, will not be easy pushovers. They are unbeaten in their last six outings and coach Bento will like to see how his team perform without Ronaldo in the lineup.
The teamsheet is out and here are the lineups of the two sides...
BRAZIL XI: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Maxwell; Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Ramires; Bernard, Jo, Neymar
PORTUGAL XI: Rui Patrício; Joao Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Coentrao; Veloso, Joao Moutinho, Raul Meireles; Vieirinha, Nani, Nelson Oliveira
So Brazil will line up in a 4-3-3 formation that will be spearheaded by Barcelona forward Neymar, who has been in superb form so far this season. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho retains his place in the midfield, while Julio Cesar starts in goal despite playing for Championship side Queens Park Rangers.
Portugal will also adopt a 4-3-3 system – at least initially – with Nani starting on the flank and Joao Moutinho and Raul Meireles marshalling the midfielder. Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao also starts for the Portuguese.
It will be interesting to note that Scolari, who is in charge of Brazil at the moment, managed Portugal for five years between 2003 and 2008. He took the European country to the final of Euro 2004, the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the quarter-finals at Euro 2008.
Of course, before then, Scolari had led Brazil to World Cup triumph in 2002.
The players are already out on the pitch as Pele and Eusebio are shaking hands with them. Kickoff is just a few minutes away, so stay tuned on this page for the prestige friendly of the week.
KICKOFF Portugal get the game underway at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Neymar is already showing his tricks as he marches down the left flank and combines with Jo before sending a deep cross at the back post. However, Bruno Alves intervenes and heads the ball away.
It is good to see Maicon start for Brazil, if only for the injury to Daniel Alves. Once upon a time, he was arguably the best right-back in the world, leading Inter Milan to Champions League triumph in 2010. However, his stars have fallen in the last couple of years or so.
There has been a good and lively start in this friendly match. Both sides are running with the ball at each other and not letting the opposition hog too much possession of the ball. Brazil are the favourites to win tonight, but Portugal do have a point to prove.
YELLOW CARD Joao Pereira is shown the yellow card, despite Pepe protesting against the decision to the referee.
Wonderful build-up play from Portugal that ends with Julio Cesar claiming the ball with ease. Joao Moutinho forces the ball from the midfield and helps release Vieirinha on the right, but his shot on target is affected by a timely block by Luiz Gustavo.
YELLOW CARD Cards flying around in the early minutes of this game. This time it is Neymar who goes into the referee’s books for a challenge with Pepe. It appears that he has been punished for shoving the Real Madrid centre-back, who then clatters into Julio Cesar.
CHANCE! Paulinho gets the first chance of any kind of the match but it is widely off target. Maicon pulls the ball back in front of the Portugal penalty box from the right that Paulinho tries to turn towards goal, but it goes harmlessly wide.
OFF THE POST! Raul Meireles heads against the post! Joao Pereira rushes down the right and crosses the ball that the former Chelsea midfielder smashes against the frame of the Brazil goal with a header.
Brazil on the attack now and earn a corner. Paulinho crosses from the left flank but Pepe turns it behind the goal for a corner kick. However, the South American giants fail to do anything concrete with it.
Fifteen minutes gone in this match and it is still goalless between the two rivals. It has been a very open and entertaining game. And very competitive too.
Bernard and Neymar have been bright sparks so far tonight for Brazil and look very lively and tricky on the ball.
GOAL! Brazil 0-1 Portugal (Raul Meireles)
Portugal draw first blood tonight and it is Raul Meireles who breaks the deadlock in the 18th minute. A shot is drilled in from outside the box that Thiago Silva blocks, but Maicon then tries to head it back to Cesar. Meireles anticipates and just pokes it into the net. Horrible mistake from Maicon that is punished by Portugal.
CHANCE! Ambitious effort from Nelson Oliveira as he tries to drill home from outside the box, but fails to find the target. Portugal looking very confident and enthusiastic at the moment.
CHANCE! What a mistake from Rui Patricio! Brazil surge forward and Neymar gets a shot in from inside the box that the Portugal goalkeeper can only parry it towards an onrushing Bernard. However, the Brazilian attacker goes to ground instead and the ball goes out for a corner.
GOAL! Brazil 1-1 Portugal (Thiago Silva)
Brazil restore parity and in some style! Neymar floats in the corner and Thiago Silva powerfully heads home. 1-1 and it’s game on!
This is really turning out to be a very entertaining match. Portugal, despite conceding the equaliser, are rushing forward and taking the game to Brazil. Nani has looked quiet so far in the match and looks a bit out of form on the left flank.
The crowd at the stadium is in loud voice. When the 22 players’ names were read out, Neymar got the most cheers – to no-one surprise, of course. And no doubt, his fans would have been pleased to see him float that corner that led to Brazil’s equaliser.
INJURY Neymar is down injured and has asked for medical help. It appears that Bruno Alves elbowed him in his face after the Brazilian had released the ball. It certainly looked malicious to me, but the referee could not see it, so the Portuguese centre-back goes unpunished.
Just over half an hour played in this match and it is 1-1 between Brazil and Portugal. There have been loads of incidents including yellow cards and I bet that there is a lot more to come. Meanwhile, Neymar is back on the pitch and looks fine to me.
CHANCE! Portugal go close to a second as Nani heads a right-wing cross from Vieirinha just wide.
CHANCE! Now Ramires goes for a low effort but fails to get the better of Rui Patricio.
GOAL! Brazil 2-1 Portugal (Neymar)
Neymar scores a wondergoal! What a superb goal from the Barcelona forward, what a sensational solo effort! He takes the ball inside from the left, cuts past two Portuguese defenders and makes no mistake in putting it inside the net. 2-1 to Brazil.
CHANCE! Brazil squander the chance to make it 2-1 as Maicon’s cross from the right wing just evades an onrushing Bernard. The South American giants are on fire at the moment.
CHANCE! Bernard again misses a glorious chance to make it 3-1 to Brazil! Paulinho is once more in the thick of the action and releases David Luiz down the left. The Chelsea defender crafts in a cross that Fabio Coentrao just about manages to turn out for a Brazil corner.
CHANCE! Paulinho just misses an easy change to score. The corner is floated it and once again Thiago Silva gets his head to it. This time he knocks it down to Paulinho, who scoops it over the bar from just yards out.
Five minutes to half time at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and it is Brazil who lead Portugal 2-1. Scolari’s side are on top of their game at the moment and could have scored three goals in the last six or so minutes.
This is the very free-flowing Brazil side that people around the world love and adore. Portugal are really struggling to get the ball out of their own half since Brazil equalised.
CHANCE! Maicon once again finds space and time on the right flank to float in a cross for Jo, but thankfully for Portugal, goalkeeper Patricio comes off his line and punches the ball away.
Neymar is back doing his little tricks for Brazil. This time he tries to release Ramires with an ambitious through-ball, but in vain.
Two minutes of injury time have been awarded.
HALF TIME: Brazil 2-1 Portugal
Let me catch my breath for a second! What an absolutely great game of football that has been so far, absolutely superb! Brazil lead Portugal 2-1 and deservedly so, with Neymar being on top of his game. Every single minute of the first half has thrown something or the other.
However, it was Portugal who started the better of the two teams and were unlucky not to surge ahead when Raul Meireles headed against the post in the 12th minute. However, the midfielder found the target six minutes later with an easy finish after capitalising on a Maicon mistake.
Thereafter, though, it was the Brazil show. Thiago Silva made it 1-1 on 24 minutes with a thumping header from a Neymar corner, and the Brazilian youngster himself scored his side’s second goal with a sensational solo effort 10 minutes later. Since then, the South American powerhouse have been pouring on the Europeans.
Portugal will have work to do in the second half. They looked bright early on but since conceding the equaliser, they appear to have collapsed. On the other hand, Brazil have got stronger and stronger.
It will be interesting to see if Scolari makes any changes to his team at the start of the second half. Many of these players are first-team regulars for big clubs in Europe, so Scolari could decide to give them some rest.
The two sets of players will be out soon and play will resume shortly.
From what I can see, there has been no change to the Brazil side.
And Portugal also appear unchanged as they come out of the tunnel and onto the pitch.
SUBSTITUTION No, Portugal are making a change. Pepe has been pulled off and on comes Neto in his place.
KICKOFF Brazil get the second half underway. They lead Portugal 2-1 from the first half. On a side note, that half-time interval actually lasted 20 minutes.
CHANCE! Nani goes for an ambitious effort but fails to find the target. His idea was good, technique not so much.
YELLOW CARD The third yellow card of the game is shown to Brazil midfielder Ramires for his challenge on Vieirinha.
GOAL! Brazil 3-1 Portugal (Jo)
A perfectly executed ‘Brazilian goal’. Brazil push forward from the midfield with a clever passing movement involving a number of players. It eventually falls to Neymar, who slips in Maxwell, who in turn crosses the ball from the left that Jo taps in from just yards out with a simple finish. 3-1 to Brazil.
Now Neymar marches down the left flank and almost gets the better of two defenders at once, but he clips his own ankle and goes down to ground. The Barcelona forward is in red-hot form and Brazil’s fluidity in possession is a marvel to behold.
Wonderful, wonderful touch from Bernard and very good defending from Coentrao. The Brazilian smoothly collects a long crossfield pass but he fails to take it into the Portugal penalty box as the Real Madrid player cuts him out.
SUBSTITUTION Another change for Portugal. Coentro goes off with a suspected injury and on comes Antunes.
Ten minutes gone in the second half, and Brazi lead Portugal 3-1. The Europeans are still struggling to hold onto the ball and are being pushed back. A number of their players including Nani and Joao Moutinho have failed to perform so far.
The tempo has dipped down a little bit in the last couple of minutes as the Brazilian players seem to have lowered down their intensity. Nani has a chance with a free kick from over 30 yards, but he fails to make it yield anything other than a goal kick.
SUBSTITUTION Another chance for Portugal. Moutinho is replaced by Ruben Almorim.
SUBSTITUTION First change of the evening for Brazil. Ramires is taken off and on comes his Chelsea teammate Oscar.
Oh, Maicon almost turns the clock as he marches into the Portugal penalty box. Or rather, he tries to march since he is halted in his tracks before he can become a threat.
Portugal earn a free kick from a good position, just over 25 yards from goal actually, thanks to Maicon’s clumsy challenge. Nani is going to take it...
Once again, the Manchester United blasts the ball high and wide. He has really looked poor and disappointing all evening.
The second half has been much less intense than the first 45 minutes and I have a feeling that it is not going to pick up much pace in the remaining minutes. Brazil coach Scolari is giving some instructions to Lazio playmaker Hernanes, who will come on soon.
SUBSTITUTION And indeed, Brazil make that change. Bernard is replaced by Hernanes. Bernard was very lively tonight and must have made a positive impression on Scolari.
Brazil on the attack as Paulinho runs down the left flank and tries to cut back on the right foot, but he is dispossessed. Brazil earn a corner but fail to do anything creative with it.
SUBSTITUTION Another change for Portugal. Helder Postiga comes on for Joao Pereira. A very attack-minded change from Bento.
Paulinho once again earns a corner, this time on the right after challenging Bruno Alves. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has once more put in a very good shift for his country. However, the set piece yields nothing for Brazil.
CHANCE! Hernanes gets a free shot on goal from absolutely nowhere 25 yards out from goal but fortunately for Portugal, it hits the side-netting.
Nani once again makes a meal of his shot, this time blasting the ball high and wide from just outside the Brazil box with his left foot.
YELLOW CARD Postiga is shown the yellow card for a challenge on Thiago Silva.
SUBSTITUTION Another change for Brazil. Jo comes off and on comes Pato, once at AC Milan and now at Corinthians.
Oh, Alves almost gets his header on target from a free kick. It goes harmless wide of Cesar’s goal in the end, though.
Wonderful defending from Thiago Silva! A cross was whipped in from the left wing by Vieirinha and Nani was just getting himself into position when the Paris Saint-Germain centre-back headed the ball away for a corner, that eventually yielded nothing fruitful.
Ten minutes remain in this friendly international that has proved to be one of the more enjoyable games of this week. Brazil should wrap up the final minutes with no problem really.
CHANCE! Raul Meireles goes for an audacious shot from outside the Brazil box with his left foot after latching onto Amorim’s pass. Meireles has been Portugal’s best player tonight by far.
SUBSTITUTION Brazil coach Scolari makes yet another change. Henrique comes on for Paulinho.
SUBSTITUTION Lica comes on for Vieirinha as Bento decides to give some of his fringe players some game time.
YELLOW CARD Bruno Alves, who probably should have been sent off for his an elbow on Neymar earlier in the contest, gets into the referee’s books for a bad challenge on Hernanes.
There are loads of Brazil fans inside the stadium and they all are celebrating and waving the flags. They will certainly be pleased with how their team have performed tonight. The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo could have helped Portugal, but Brazil have been the much stronger and more accomplished team tonight.
Oh, wonderful play from Neymar again on the left as he marches on and does some step-overs but he does a bit too much and is eventually brought down by Almorim.
It is bewildering to think that Neymar was being doubted by some observers before his move to Barcelona from Santos this summer. He is no doubt one of the most exciting and talented young players in the world and performances like today are becoming commonplace.
SUBSTITUTION And speaking of Neymar, the little magician is substituted to standing ovation by PSG midfielder Lucas Moura. He is certainly Brazil’s biggest hopes of winning the World Cup next year and he did his credentials no harm by scoring that wonderful solo goal.
FULL TIME: Brazil 3-1 Portugal
It’s all over at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts as the referee blows the final whistle and brings the game to a close. Brazil have comfortably defeated Portugal 3-1 in this friendly international, thanks to goals from Thiago Silva, Neymar and Jo. Portugal took the lead in the 18th minute through Raul Meireles, but the South American giants simply proved too much for them.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of what proved to be a very entertaining and enjoyable match here on Sports Mole. Thank you very much for joining us and goodbye for now.
