Our aim to keep ourselves interested and entertained in this FIFA mandated semi-meaningless exercise is to follow and try to pay attention to the Chelsea boys involved for their respective national teams.
And so we open today with David Luiz and Oscar for Brazil. And ... well ... that was a bit of a non-event. Remember way back when Chelsea used to win 1-0 or 2-0 rather easily and ordinarily? Hint: Jose Mourinho was the manager then, too!* That was Brazil today.
* Yey! Can we start the new season, like, tomorrow please?
It took the hosts just three minutes to take care of business, Neymar showing what Neymar does and leathering a shot right into the top corner of Japan's net. Game. Set. Match. The remaining 87 minutes were a bit of formality.
David Luiz and Oscar both started but I'm struggling to recall anything memorable happening with either. I suppose that's a good thing for the former and perhaps not such a good thing for the latter. That being said, Oscar had been on an absolute tear with Brazil, so a slightly below-par performance can be easily excused. There's also that whole expectations thing, like when we tend not to appreciate Juan Mata enough because he's always super amazing.
So that was correct until the 93rd minute. And then Oscar led a counter attack down the left and laid an absolute picture-perfect pass into the path of Jo who made no mistake to slot into the back of the net. And when I say picture-perfect, I may be understating things. When they teach passes that make fools of defenses in football school, they'll be showing this one:
via @brocadfael
We love you, Oscar.
So, job done, Brazil. They've settled some nerves and made easy work of their opponents just as expected. Onto the next one.
Also, this happened, and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Walk it off, Marcelo, walk it off...