ASUNCION, Paraguay – Brazil faced a challenging match against Venezuela on Thursday, concluding the game with a disappointing 1-1 tie, as Vinicius Júnior struggled to find his scoring touch in World Cup qualifying.
In the second half, Vinicius had a golden opportunity to secure the win after he was fouled in the box, drawing a penalty in the 67th minute. However, his attempt was thwarted when goalkeeper Rafael Romo made a save, and Vinicius subsequently missed the follow-up chance by shooting wide.
The Brazilian team had several promising opportunities in the first half. Notably, Vinicius approached the goal aggressively, even hitting the post after maneuvering past three Venezuelan defenders. Raphinha ultimately broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute by converting a free kick, giving Brazil the lead just before halftime.
Venezuela made a tactical change at halftime, introducing young Telasco Segovia, who made a significant impact by equalizing just a minute into the second half with a powerful strike from outside the box.
As the match drew closer to the end, Venezuela was reduced to 10 players when Alexander Gonzalez received a red card for striking both Gabriel Martinelli and Vinicius Júnior in the face in the 89th minute.
In a bizarre turn of events, the irrigation system activated only two minutes before the final whistle at the Monumental Stadium in Maturin, located 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Caracas. This unexpected interruption frustrated the Brazilian players on the field.
This draw leaves Brazil in a tentative third position in the standings with 17 points amassed from 11 matches. Raphinha expressed his disappointment after the game, stating, “When we don’t win, I leave the pitch feeling a bit let down; we deserved to come out on top today. Nonetheless, securing a point away is significant, and we are focused on winning the next match at home.”
Looking ahead, Brazil is set to compete against Uruguay in Salvador on Tuesday, while Venezuela will visit Chile for their next match.
In other qualifying action on the same day, Argentina was set to face Paraguay, amidst announcements that local fans were prohibited from donning Lionel Messi jerseys. Meanwhile, Ecuador hosted Bolivia, as the World Cup qualifying round continued with further matches on Friday, featuring Colombia taking on Uruguay and a contest between the bottom teams, Peru and Chile, in Lima.