Russia 0-3 Brazil international friendly: match report
Brazil made light work of Russia despite leaving it until after half-time to score. Goals from Miranda, Coutinho and Paulinho do the trick vs the WC hosts. LAFC vs LA Galaxy: Vela vs Zlatan live online, MLS week 25
Russia 0-3 Brazil: match report
A string of second-half goals helped a Brazil side deprived of talisman Neymar to an emphatic 3-0 friendly win over World Cup hosts Russia in Moscow on Friday.
After several missed chances in the first half, Brazil's Miranda finally broke the deadlock by tapping in a rebounded shot past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev in the 53rd minute.
Philippe Coutinho doubled Brazil's lead with a penalty kick less than 10 minutes later. The playmaker's Barcelona team mate Paulinho quickly added another in the 66th minute, expertly heading a flawless cross by Willian into the back of the net.
Russia take on France next week, while Brazil face Germany for the first time since their humiliating 7-1 loss to the European side on home soil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final.
Russia vs Brazil: international friendly, as it happened
Russia vs Brazil: international friendly match preview
A Neymar-less Brazil take on World Cup hosts Russia in an international friendly at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, today at 17:00 CET. The Paris Saint-Germain star's absence with a foot injury is likely to reduce the turnout in the Russian capital, although around 60,000 are still expected to be watching on from the stands.
Concerns over state of pitch at Luzhniki Stadium
Meanwhile, there are concerns over the state of the pitch in the wake of recent snowfall and freezing temperatures in Moscow - a state of affairs that could also have a damaging effect on the spectacle on offer. "We have to focus on our opponents, not on the playing surface and the climate," cautioned Brazil head coach Tite ahead of the clash, however.
The visitors were dealt a late blow by the training-ground injury suffered by Juventus left-back Alex Sandro, who has been replaced in the Seleçao squad by Shakhtar Donetsk's Ismaily. In addition to Neymar and Sandro, the Brazilians have also seen Atlético Madrid's Filipe Luis pull out of the squad due to injury.
Russia have also had an eventful build-up to the clash, with a surprise 6:30am doping test on Wednesday morning affecting the preparations of coach Stanislac Cherchesov, who has added Rubin Kazan defender Ruslan Kambolov to a squad that features four players - including Alan Dzagoev and Yuri Zhirkov - who are struggling with niggles.
Russia yet to beat Brazil...
Today's friendly will be the 13th meeting of the two sides, with the previous 12 yielding eight wins for Brazil and four draws.