Los 40 USA
Sign in to commentAPP
spainSPAINchileCHILEcolombiaCOLOMBIAusaUSAmexicoMEXICOlatin usaLATIN USAamericaAMERICA

FOOTBALL

Historic result for Panama as they hold Brazil

Brazil's opener from Paqueta was cancelled out by a superb Machado header. Coutinho struggled throughout, Richarlison shone.

Brazil v Panama live
Octavio PassosGetty Images

Brazil vs Panama live online: match updates and commentary

Brazil vs Panama live online: preview

With no Neymar or Vinicius, Brazil will experiment as they prepare for the Copa America.

Brazil will be sporting new faces when they take to the pitch this evening at the legendary Estádio do Dragão in Porto, to face a modest Panama side coached, on a temporary basis, by former Málaga and Oviedo man Dely Valdés.

With no Neymar or Vinicius, both out injured, Tite is planning to experiment with the starting line-up with one eye on the Copa America to be played this June and July. This game against Panama and the next game against the Czech Republic are Brazil's last before they host the competition this summer.

Only five starters in Porto were at the World Cup in 2018 (Ederon, Fagner, Miranda, Coutinho y Firmino) and four had never been called up before Russia (Militão, Paquetá, Arthur y Richarlison). The captain's armband will be worn by Real Madrid's Casemiro and Militão will start in the centre of defence alongside his hero Miranda, who also learnt his trade with São Paulo.

Any doubts concern the middle of the park and the attack, and in particular the positioning of Coutinho and Paquetá. With no Neymar or Vinicius the most likely situation is for Coutinho to drift forwards, to where he was normally found at the start of the Tite era and in his best moments under Klopp at Liverpool. That leaves the trequartista role for the young Milan player, who alongside Piatek and Suso is enjoying a purple patch of form since he joined from Flemengo in the winter market.