Neymar continues to carry Brazil

So still no sign of the Brazil this country wants and needs then, rather signs that won’t take the sharpness off nerves before the real stuff starts against Chile at the weekend.

Neymar did enough with two first-half goals and a match-defining performance in the capital to override his teammates’ ever-present flaws, but surely there’s only so much weight he can carry. And while excuses have been made thus far in terms of the pressure the side are under, this game needs to be taken in the context of the opposition too, and in the context of a confidence-stripping opening period.

Coming into this, since the Roger Milla era, Cameroon have won just one of 14 games at the World Cup yet at times they looked like they could do the impossible and stun the world. And that after a tournament where they haven’t only disappointed, they’ve embarrassed themselves. From their late arrival due to a dispute over money with the national association to the on-field in-fighting that took place during the hiding against Croatia, they have seemed hopeless. Until they shacked up here and gave this a good enough go for a long enough time to make sure only the edges of seats were used.

Granted, the start was what the sea of yellow had yearned for. Within seconds Hulk went easily around Henri Bedimo before being hauled down. The free-kick led to little but while Cameroon had their entire team in their own half, Neymar still found space twice in the following moments. It was ominous and it wasn’t just him providing the threat. Brazil have a serious problem at striker and down the wings that has left perhaps too much centralised pressure on the creative three behind the attack. But at least last night Hulk was joined on the other side by Marcelo in making room, even if the delivery wasn’t always sufficient.

It was that new-found width behind the opener. On 16 minutes, Luis Gustavo turned the ball over on the left, his low cross split the centre-halves and Neymar finished like a man that refuses to let this World Cup be just about Lionel Messi. But while the crowd thought the floodgates would open – and perhaps their side did too – Cameroon bounced right back, capitalising on an assuredness in their midfield passing and counter-attacking.

Sure enough, Neymar had a volley batted away and Fred nearly bundled home but then came the equaliser. Dani Alves has become a liability it seems and there were moments of flakiness from him even before Allan Nyom got a cross in on 26 minutes and Joel Matip had the easiest of finishes from six yards. It added to worry and a fear in these Brazilian ranks that has been there since they opened the tournament against Croatia. But as he’s done already at this World Cup, with his team providing just question, Neymar had an answer.

On 34 minutes, picking a ball up 35 yards out, he dribbled to just inside the box and wrong-footed Charles Itandje in the Cameroon goal with his finish. It lifted those around him, providing a much-needed and soothing reassurance to one and all. In fact just on half-time Hulk nearly scored the goal of the tournament after a move that had started with Neymar soloing the ball before beginning an intricate move that cut through the opposition. But moments like that have been sadly limited from Brazil and that was the case again here.

Okay, after the restart Neymar picked up where he left off in a game-defining performance. Minutes into the second half he had a free-kick tipped away before Marcelo’s cross from allowed Fred the sort of finish he needed with his confidence so low, although it looked suspiciously offside.

But while that released the pressure, allowing a freedom and flightiness from Brazil across the second half, there was precious little end product. Fernandinho did round out the win with a late strike he deserved after a good second-half performance but he and others won’t get that space again come Saturday. And Brazilian nerves won’t get an off-day come that second round game on this evidence either.

CAMEROON: Itandje, Nyom, Bedimo, N’Guemo, Matip, N’Koulou, Moukandjo (Salli 58), Mbia, Aboubakar (Webo 72), Enoh, Choupo-Moting (Makoun 81).

BRAZIL: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Marcelo, Luiz Gustavo, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Hulk (Ramires 63),Paulinho (Fernandinho 45), Fred, Oscar, Neymar (Willian 71).

Referee: Jonas Eriksson.