We round up the key Fantasy talking points from Monday’s two fixtures in our Scout Notes summary.
The graphics and numbers in this article are from our Premium Members Area, which now includes all Opta player and team data from every World Cup game.
BRAZIL 4-1 SOUTH KOREA
- Goals: Vinicius Jr, Neymar (penalty), Richarlison, Lucas Paqueta | Paik Seung-ho
- Assists: Neymar, Thiago Silva, Vinicius Jr
- Penalty won: Richarlison
Neymar ($10.5m) returned from injury to bag a goal and assist, as rampant Brazil raced (and danced) into a 4-0 half-time lead over South Korea.
He was one of four Selecao players to score nine FIFA Fantasy points, alongside Richarlison ($7.5m), Vinicius Jr ($10.5m) and Lucas Paqueta ($7.0m). It led to a slow, time-killing second half where legs were rested and South Korea netted a consolation goal to further frustrate managers who have already seen Argentina and France defences similarly lose their clean sheets.
After seven minutes, Raphinha ($8.5m) dribbled his way down the side and found Vinicius Jr at the back post. A good finish to give Brazil the lead, although Neymar has since been credited with the assist. Cue a well-rehearsed dance routine to celebrate.
A few minutes later, it was 2-0. Richarlison fouled in the box, enabling Neymar to tip-toe his run-up and score. There was already a carnival atmosphere at this point, as the rhythmic Brazilians opened their box of tricks on a stunned South Korea.
Richarlison got himself on the score sheet by dribbling the ball on his head, letting centre-backs Marquinhos ($5.5m) and Thiago Silva ($6.0m) zing some passes between them and then duly sliding the ball past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu ($4.5m). This time, they even got head coach Tite to bust a few moves.
His ninth point came as a reward for having two shots on target, whereas Lucas Paqueta gained one for making three key passes. It was the West Ham United midfielder who then made it four, volleying home a scooped pass from Vinicius Jr.
What’s annoying from a Fantasy viewpoint is that many of Brazil’s attackers are listed as forwards and there are already so many great options for those three slots, whilst decent midfielders are hard to find. Former Leeds United man Raphinha is also a forward and his teammates did all they could to add him to the scoresheet. Three shots on target and an extra point but no goal.
BRAZIL’S ATTACK
Brazil have a generally strong defence but Alisson ($6.0m) had to make plenty of saves. South Korea were afforded six shots on target, of which the Liverpool stopper secured a point for stopping five of them.
One goal did arrive when a 76th-minute free kick was headed away towards a delightful long-range Paik Seung-ho ($5.0m) shot. Owners of Danilo ($5.5m) and Eder Militao ($5.0m) will be feeling fortunate, as the duo had already been replaced by then with six points secured.
Soon after, in a nice touch, the goalkeeper was eventually replaced by third-choice Weverton ($4.0m) to ensure that all 26 of Brazil’s squad have seen some on-pitch action.
Of course, letting the clean sheet slip was purely a consequence of being so comfortably ahead and – just like the Cameroon defeat in Matchday 3 – shouldn’t be read into. Tite made nine changes that night and was back to a full-strength line-up here, apart from Danilo filling in at left-back to replace the injured Alex Sandro ($5.0m).
That position is probably the only uncertainty for Fantasy managers heading into Friday’s quarter-final, meaning a combination of Neymar, Richarlison, Vinicius Jr and defensive coverage should be deemed essential.
Brazil XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson (Weverton 80); Danilo (Bremer 72), Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Eder Militao (Dani Alves 63); Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta; Raphinha, Neymar (Rodrygo 80), Vinicius Jr (Martinelli 72), Richarlison
South Korea XI (4-2-3-1): Seung-gyu; Moon-hwan, Kim Min-jae, Young-gwon, Jin-su (Hong-chul 46); In-beom (Seung-ho 65), Woo-young (Jun-ho 46); Hee-chan, Jae-sung (Kang-in 74), Heung-min; Gue-Sung (Ui-jo 80)
JAPAN 1-1 CROATIA (Croatia won 3-1 on penalties)
- Goals: Daizen Maeda | Ivan Perisic
- Assists: Maya Yoshida | Dejan Lovren
The South Americans will face Croatia, as this tournament’s first taste of extra time and penalties saw the latter overcome a bright Japan, aided by Ivan Perisic ($7.5m) heading home a second-half equaliser.
It was undeserved at the time, with the Samurai Blue playing attractive, confident football and creating lots of trouble with their short corner routines.
One of them led to a huge Shogo Taniguchi ($4.0m) chance in the third minute and another gave them the lead just before half-time. Ritsu Doan’s ($6.0m) left-footed inswinging cross found Maya Yoshida ($4.5m), allowing Celtic forward Daizen Maeda ($6.0m) to score.
Yet the 2018 runners-up are hard to defeat and ended the group stage as one of only five unbeaten nations. Perisic showed why he is in 14 per cent of Fantasy squads with several goal attempts beginning with an early chance, robbing north London rival Takehiro Tomiyasu ($4.5m) out wide and shooting at goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda ($4.0m) from a tight angle.
He was regularly involved in Croatian attacks and earnt a reward when meeting Dejan Lovren’s ($4.5m) deep cross with a long-range header that generated enough power to go across Gonda and into the goal.
Managers may even feel aggrieved that Perisic stopped at one attacking return, as another shot was deflected wide in the 77th minute.
Ultimately, the game lost its excitement after the equaliser, as Croatia’s big game experience started to kick in. This was the seventh of their last eight knockout games to go into extra time, winning 3-1 on penalties due to Dominik Livakovic ($5.0m) saving three feeble spot kicks.
The second most-selected Croat, bargain left-back Borna Sosa ($3.5m), could not participate because of a virus but he didn’t miss out on a clean sheet.
Luka Modric ($8.5m) was fairly quiet, although he did hit one sweet long-range shot that was saved well by Gonda. Substituted in extra time, it was one of several surprise removals by coach Zlatko Dalic, as he, Perisic, Mateo Kovacic ($6.5m) and Andrej Kramaric ($6.0m) would surely have expected to take an imminent penalty.
Dalic’s changes also emphasised why purchasing a Croatian forward is a bad idea. None are particularly convincing him, firstly taking Bruno Petkovic ($5.5m) off for Ante Budimir ($5.0m), only to later replace him with Marko Livaja ($5.0m).
Japan XI (3-4-3): Gonda; Taniguchi, Tomiyasu, Yoshida; Ito, Morita (Tanaka 106), Endo, Nagatomo (Mitoma 64); Kamada (Sakai 75), Doan (Minamino 84), Maeda (Asano 64)
Croatia XI (4-3-3): Livakovic, Juranovic, Gvardiol, Lovren, Barisic, Kovacic (Vlasic 99), Brozovic, Modric (Majer 99), Kramaric (Pasalic 68), Petkovic (Budimir 62 (Livaja 106)), Perisic (Orsic 106)
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