Fifa World Cup 2014: Ochoa stands firms as Mexico hold Brazil 0-0

Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a series of superb reflex saves to restrict Brazil to a 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Tuesday and deny the Brazilians their 11th victory in a row.

In an absorbing Group A match in the deafening cauldron of Fortaleza's Castelao arena, Ochoa thwarted Paulinho, Neymar (twice) and Thiago Silva when they seemed certain to score.

He was the last Mexican player to leave the pitch to a standing ovation by thousands of green-shirted supporters before being named man of the match.

"We should congratulate their goalkeeper who performed at least four miracles," Brazilian striker Fred said after a frustrating afternoon for the hosts who failed time and again to unlock a stubborn Mexican defence.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described Ochoa's performance as "spectacular".

At the other end, the Mexicans had a few decent chances of their own in yet another entertaining game at this World Cup, and they could have snatched a victory had their long-range shots been more accurate.

Jose Vasquez, Hector Herrera and Miguel Layun all tried their luck with powerful drives from outside the box that zipped over Julio Cesar's crossbar.

The draw ended Brazil's 10-match winning streak, dating back to August when they lost to Switzerland in a friendly.

It also meant that to make the second round of the tournament both teams need points from their final group games on June 23 when Brazil face Cameroon in Brasilia and Mexico meet Croatia in Recife.

"There was a chance here, a chance there, it was very tight," Scolari said.

"It wasn't a question of us evolving or not (from the last game). We've been playing this way 20 games, we are up against good teams, we need to understand that."

CAUSING MISCHIEF

Brazil took control of the match from the outset with Marcelo and Oscar causing mischief down the left and Neymar showing bursts of brilliance when he drifted into the middle.

It was a Neymar header that forced the first of Ochoa's "miracles", the keeper scrambling across his line to beat the ball away at his right hand post.

Oscar floated a free kick into the box and Thiago Silva chested it down into the path of Paulinho with just the keeper to beat but again Ochoa got his body in the way and parried the ball to safety.

Brazil turned the screws after the interval against a Mexican side who have never beaten them at the World Cup and have failed to score a single goal against them in four meetings dating back to 1950.

With a passionate Brazilian crowd roaring them on, Neymar came close again, twisting inside his marker and firing in a left-foot shot which Ochoa blocked with his chest.

In the dying minutes Brazilian captain Thiago Silva looked certain to score with a point-blank header but again Ochoa was in the right place to beat the ball away.

Despite their setback, Brazil will be confident of booking their place in the last 16 by taking points from Cameroon.

The Mexicans, meanwhile, will feel their chaotic qualifying campaign is behind them and that they can get a point from Croatia to put them into the knock-out stages for the sixth consecutive World Cup.

FULL TIME

Brazil 0 Mexico 0

90+1" Cesar makes a fine save of Jimenez shot.

90" Guardado goes close with a long range shot with the ball landed in the roof of the net.

88" Marcelo stumbles in the box but no penalty awarded.

86" Ochoa makes another brilliant save off a point blank header from Thiago following Neymar's free kick.

85" Gustavo earns a free kick from a good position on the left.

83" Mexico replace Do Santos with Jimenez while Oscar makes way for his Chelsea team mate Willian.

81" Hernandez's free kick hits the wall while Brazil launch a counter but the ball runs away from Jo with Ochoa gathering comfortably.

79" YELLOW! Thiago tackles Hernandez just outside the edge after some poor defending by Brazil.

78" Hernandez heads a cross wide.

77" Mexico make another change as Herrera is replaced by Fabian.

76" Jo skews his shot wide after getting a fine through ball from Bernard.

75" Mexico frustrates Neymar after Oscar finds himself in acres of space but delays his pass.

73" Mexico make their first change with United stiker Hernandez coming on for Peralta.

69" Ochoa denies Neymar after the Brazil boy genius whips in a left-footed shot from the edge of the box after chesting down a corner and letting the ball fly.

68" Brazil make another change as Jo replaces Fred.

66" Mexico are attacking in waves with the Brazil defence having to work overtime to stop them.

64" Marcelo runs circles around defenders before firing into the box with no Brazilian player around.

63" Neymar's free kick is wide off the near post with Ochoa having it covered.

62" YELLOW! Vazquez is booked for bringing down Neymar as Brazil get a free kick from 30 yards.

60" Mexico are peppering the Brazilian goal with Guardado being wide this time with a left-footed strike.

58" YELLOW! Aguilar is booked for tripping Bernard.

57" Herrera is off target again as Mexico keep pressing but firing over from 20 yards.

56" Dos Santos shoot tamely with his left with Cesar collecting easily despite a deflection from Thiago.

54" Vazquez fires over the cross bar with a long range effort.

51" Mexico's challenge fizzles away with Aguilar frittering it away for a goal kick.

49" Brazil take a short corner but Oscar fires his shot over the top.

48" Rodriguez meets a superb cross from substitute Bernard aimed at Neymar but is headed away for a corner.

46" Marquez goes down writhing in pain after being stopped in his tracks by Thiago.

Mexico get the second period under way kicking towards the right.

Brazil has made one change with Bernard replacing Ramires.

HALF TIME

Brazil 0 Mexico 0

45" YELLOW! Ramires is the first be booked for a foul on Aguilar  but Guardado over hits the free kick.

44" Ochoa denies Brazil for the second time from point blank range after Thiago Silva chests the ball into the path of Paulinho.

43" Alves wins a free kickafter being caught by Guardado.

42" Vazquez shoots wide of the far post with Cesar having the angle covered.

40" Gustavo is winded after going down in an aerial challenge with Herrera.

38" Marcelo is wild with himself after firing way off target.

37" Rodriguez's free kick is not well directed while Layun's shot sails over the cross bar without troubling Cesar.

36" Mexico earn a free kick from a dangerous position on the left after Alves brings down Layun.

35" Fred's header from a Neymar corner is collected by Ochoa after Herrera headed away the earlier kick.

32" Neymar makes a sizzling run after being released by Thiago before running into a wall of defenders.

30" Neymar came closest to breaking the deadlock as the game reaches the half hour mark.

29" Oscar's shot from the edge of the box is collected by Ochoa.

27" Cesar makes a nice save from a high shot at the other end.

26" Neymar's powerful header from six yards is brilliantly parried away by a diving Ochoa.

24" Layun shoots from just outside the box and Cesar appears to tip the powerful strike over though no corner kick was given.

23" Peralta jinks his way into the Brazil box before Silva and Marcelo close him down.

21" Layun is worse off after a robust aerial challenge from Alves.

19" Gustavo's ambitious effort from 30 yards is wide of the target.

18" Neymar is fouled by Rodriguez while the free kick is wayward.

16" Brazil have virtually pitched camp in the Mexican half but no clear shot at goal yet.

14" Mexico hang on after after a jinking run from Neymar and Marcelo almost finds a man with a cross from the left.

11" Fred hits the side netting after a superb cross from Oscar but the goal would have been disallowed for offside.

7" Neymar is fouled by Dos Santos to give Brazil a free-kick 40 yards from goal but Luiz's kick is blocked.

6" Fred tackles Neymar as the boy genius brings down a high ball.

3" Paulinho is pulled for pulling back the shirt of Guardado and Mexico's free kick is headed away by Luiz.

2" Rodriguez gets a warning after a late challenge on Neymar.

1" Brazil get the match underway after a false start.

Brazil midfielder Ramires was drafted into start Tuesday's World Cup Group A match against Mexico as a replacement for Hulk, who will start on the bench.

Otherwise, the Brazil side was unchanged from the one that started their 3-1 defeat of Croatia in the opening match of the tournament, with Neymar and Fred leading their attack.

Mexico fielded an unchanged side following their 1-0 victory over Cameroon. Oribe Peralta, their goalscorer in that match, will start up front alongside Giovani dos Santos.

Teams for Tuesday's 2014 World Cup Group A match between Brazil and Mexico at the Castelao arena, Fortaleza.

Brazil: 12-Julio Cesar; 2-Daniel Alves, 3-Thiago Silva, 4-David Luiz, 6-Marcelo; 8-Paulinho, 11-Oscar, 17-Luiz Gustavo, 16-Ramires; 9-Fred, 10-Neymar

Substitutes: 1-Jefferson, 5-Fernandinho, 7-Hulk, 13-Dante, 14-Maxwell, 15-Henrique, 16-Ramires, 18-Hernanes, 19-Willian, 20-Bernard, 21-Jo, 22-Victor, 23-Maicon

Mexico: 13-Guillermo Ochoa; 7-Miguel Layun, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 15-Hector Moreno; 22 Paul Aguilar, 6-Hector Herrera, 18-Andres Guardado, 23-Jose Juan Vazquez; 10-Giovani Dos Santos, 19-Oribe Peralta

Substitutes: 1-Jesus Corona, 3-Carlos Salcido, 5-Diego Reyes, 8-Marco Fabian, 9-Raul Jimenez, 11-Alan Pulido, 12-Alfredo Talavera, 14-Javier Hernandez, 16-Miguel Ponce, 17-Isaac Brizuela, 20-Javier Aquino, 21-Carlos Pena

Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)

PREVIEW

World Cup hosts Brazil are back in the spotlight with the chance to get one foot in the last 16 when they face Mexico in Fortaleza on Tuesday, while Group H gets underway with Belgium facing Algeria and Russia taking on South Korea.

After their thrilling 3-1 win over Croatia in the Group A opener on Thursday, Brazil will look to build on the feel good factor against Mexico though they may be without forward Hulk due to a thigh injury.

Neymar scored twice against Croatia, underlining his status as one of the most exciting young players in world football, but Brazil must be wary of Mexican forward Giovani dos Santos, who had two goals disallowed before setting up their winner in a 1-0 victory over Cameroon.

Victory for Brazil would be their 11th consecutive win and virtually assure them of a spot in the knockout stages.

In Group H, highly-rated Belgium get their campaign underway against Algeria in Belo Horizonte.
Many pundits' tip to go all the way in Brazil this year, the Belgians boast a world class squad of players plying their trade in some of European football's top clubs and will expect to make short work of the Algerians.

The other group game sees Fabio Capello's Russia take on South Korea in Cuiaba, who have endured a woeful buildup to the tournament in Brazil with four losses in five games, including a 4-0 hammering by Ghana in a friendly last week.

HULK FITNESS

Brazil will keep Mexico guessing until the very last minute as to whether they will face Hulk on Tuesday, with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari giving the burly forward every chance to prove his fitness for the Group A game in Fortaleza.

Hulk has undergone tests on a thigh injury after he limped out of a training session on Sunday morning. The player said it was a precaution and that he expected to be fit, but on Monday it was clear Scolari had been weighing up his options.

"The other players I have, with a little bit different characteristics, also have different qualities to Hulk and they can add to team, add speed, stronger marking or another type of positioning that could help us more in the game against Mexico," Scolari told a news conference at the Castelao arena on Monday.

"I've got 23 players and these, in my opinion, were well chosen, so there shouldn't be any problem should Hulk not be able to play.

"We will wait for the overall context of the situation and evaluate it tomorrow, before the game," the coach added.

Officials said Hulk underwent magnetic resonance tests in Fortaleza where Brazil play Mexico after both teams won their opening games in Group A.

Hulk's absence would be a "a big loss" for Brazil, team captain Thiago Silva said, hinting that Scolari may have already decided on a replacement.

"Whoever he chooses, he can close his eyes and pick Bernard, Willian, he can select Ramires," Silva said, while Scolari joked around and made faces, reacting as if Silva was letting slip his potential choices.

"I'm just giving some examples, because for sure we will be well served," he said. "Far from me (to pick the replacement), since I don't want to be responsible for that."

MEXICON UNCHANGED

Mexico plan to start their World Cup Group A clash against Brazil with the same lineup that began their opening victory over Cameroon, coach Miguel Herrera said on Monday.

"The team's in good shape. Fortunately all the lads who picked up knocks have recovered well. Physically and mentally they're 100 per cent so we're going to go with the same team," he told reporters ahead of Tuesday's match at the Castelao arena.

Mexico beat Cameroon 1-0 and were unfortunate to have two other efforts harshly disallowed but not surprisingly Herrera said he expected a far tougher game against hosts Brazil.

"Brazil are not Cameroon. They're the clear favourites and the most important team in the world. They have players who can change a match in the blink of an eye, so we need keep our eyes peeled and concentrate," he added at the news conference.

Asked how his team planned to deal with Neymar, who scored twice in Brazil's opening 3-1 win over Croatia, Herrera said: "Brazil are more than just Neymar. For me their best player in that match was Oscar, who had an extraordinary game."

The Mexico coach said that even if Brazil's powerful forward Hulk failed to recover from injury, it would make little difference to the quality of their side.

"The quality they have on the bench is amazing," he said. "Take Ramires, for example, a player who's not even in their starting lineup even though he plays for Chelsea. All of their replacements are good enough to be first-team players."

Asked about criticism in Brazil of right back Dani Alves, who came under pressure down the flank against Croatia, Herrera said: "To talk about a player who has won everything there is to win with Barcelona as deficient is a bit much.

"You can't talk about a player being a weak link when he plays for the best national side in the world and one of the best club sides in the world."

A win for either team on Tuesday would leave them on the verge of booking a place in the second round.

The Mexico team that started against Cameroon was: 13-Guillermo Ochoa; 7-Miguel Layun, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 4-Rafael Marquez, 15-Hector Moreno; 22 Paul Aguilar, 6-Hector Herrera, 18-Andres Guardado, 23-Jose Juan Vazquez; 10-Giovani Dos Santos, 19-Oribe Peralta
 

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