FIFA World Cup 2018 Group E
Brazil are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup finals tournament since the competition began in 1930. They made light work of qualifying under coach Tite and were strongly tipped to win the competition this time round, having lost just once in 21 matches since their traumatic 7-1 defeat by Germany four years ago.
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H | Knock Out Stages
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Costa Rica
Serbia
Costa Rica 0 Serbia 1
Cosmos Arena, Samara
17 June
Alexander Kolarov scored the decisive goal from a spectacular free-kick from 25-metres out. Costa Rica had two shots on target in the opening three minutes but did not manage a third until the dying seconds of the match.
Brazil
Switzerland
Brazil 1 Switzerland 1
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
17 June
Brazil looked confident in the opening exchanges and went a goal up after 20 minutes thanks to Phillipe Coutinho's wonderfully curled short. Instead of piling on the pressure, the five-times champions sat back and allowed the Swiss to get back into the game. When they deservedly equalised in the 77th minute, Brazil could not change up a gear and have only themselves to blame for failing to win their opening fixture for the first time in ten consecutive world cups.
Brazil
Costa Rica
Brazil 2 Costa Rica 0
Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg
22 June
It looked as if Brazil were heading towards another disappointing draw, especially after the referee awarded them a penalty in the 78th minute only for the decision to be overturned by the VAR. The match went into injury time before Coutinho (90'+1) and Neymar (90'+7) saved Brazil's blushes.
Serbia
Switzerland
Serbia 1 Switzerland2
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
22 June
Switzerland came back from being a goal down at half-time with goals from Xhaka and Shaqiri, the latter a brilliant solo effort in the 91st minute. The goal scorers, whose parents were Kosovan refugees who resettled in Switzerland, celebrated with hand gestures that mimicked the two headed eagle of Albania, a clear provocation towards the Serbs. A FIFA investigation was launched shortly afterwards.
Serbia
Brazil
Serbia 0 Brazil 2
Otkrytiye Arena, Moscow
27 June
After rather hesitant performances against Switzerland and Costa Rica, Brazil played with growing confidence and occasional brilliance. Paulinho put them ahead (36') with a deft flick over the advancing goalkeeper. Serbia came back strongly in the second half and for 15 minutes they had Brazil on the back-foot but after Thiago Silva headed powerfully home from a corner the match was no longer in doubt.
Switzerland
Costa Rica
Switzerland 2 Costa Rica 2
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
27 June
The Swiss needed just a point to confirm their place in the next phase and with the scores level at 1-1 in the closing minutes and news that Brazil were 2-0 up, progress was assured. When Josep Drmic put them in the lead in the 88th minutes they were on course to top the group but events took a bizarre turn. Costa Rica were awarded a penalty in injury time and Bryan Ruiz's effort struck the underside of the bar and bounced into the net off the goalkeeper's head so Switzerland had to be content with the runners-up spot.
