Catch all the action from the match between Brazil and Serbia through our live commentary. Brazil may have been one of the big disappointments so far at the Russia World Cup, but the pressure is on their opponents Serbia in their final Group E match in Moscow on Wednesday. Brazil, whose only defeats by the Balkan side came against the old Yugoslavia in 1930 and 1934, need just a draw to secure qualification for the last 16. For Serbia, who will want to be masters of their own fate, a win would guarantee their progress, although a draw could see them through if the Swiss are beaten by Costa Rica by more than one goal in the other group game. Brazil come into the game under fire at home after poor performances in their first two games. They were subdued in their 1-1 draw against Switzerland and had to wait until injury time to finally secure the goals and the win against a limited Costa Rica side. Full back Fagner believes the pressure is a result of their own spectacular showing leading up to the tournament, a period in which they lost only one match in 21, scoring 47 goals and conceding just five. "I believe that because of all we did in the qualifiers and friendlies there is a huge expectation that we win our games," Fagner told reporters at Brazil's training camp. "Our opponents prepare well to neutralise us, but I think as games go on we will create chances either with plays from the professor (coach Tite) or through our own improvisations. Each result and win generates more confidence." Brazil are expected to be unchanged from the side that beat Costa Rica, although their biggest opponent may be themselves. The five-times World Cup winners have been criticised at home with striker Neymar bearing the brunt of the opprobrium. The most expensive player in the world and a constant presence on billboards, television and social media, Neymar has not lived up to the hype and broke down in tears after the last-gasp win over Costa Rica. Fagner brushed off suggestions that the pressure was already having an effect on Tite's side and said it was a natural reaction to – and maybe even a welcome consequence of – their own high standards. "We have created an expectation and that leads to pressure. We know we can get better, and that leaves us enthused because we know over the tournament you get better each game," he said.<doc-sep>B razil are into the knockout rounds of the World Cup after Paulinho and Thiago Silva scored to secure a 2-0 win over Serbia in Moscow on Wednesday night. Former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho struck in the first half after being set up by his current Barcelona teammate Philippe Coutinho, before Silva headed in a Neymar corner in the second half to ensure Brazil topped Group E and will now play Mexico in the round of 16. Just a few hours before the match at Spartak Moscow’s Stadium, news filtered through to Brazilian fans in the Russian capital of Germany’s exit from the tournament at the hands of South Korea. Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1 on their way to winning the World Cup four years ago, but their 2-0 defeat in Kazan on Wednesday injected the Brazil supporters with even more joy on a day that they hoped to see their nation book their place in the last 16. AP After a strong start from Brazil, the fans in yellow got the goal they were looking for when Coutinho’s lofty pass was latched onto by Paulinho, who lifted the ball over goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic’s head and into an empty net in the 36th minute. AP Neymar, whose pace and indeed nutmegs were handing Serbia’s defence a lot of work to deal with, then came close to doubling Brazil’s advantage when his long-range effort flew over the bar moments before the break. Loading.... Brazil were proving dangerous in attack, but their defence was made to work hard in the second half when Serbia came out looking for an equaliser after hearing of Switzerland’s lead over Costa Rica. AP Adem Ljajic saw his powerful effort kicked over the bar by Miranda while Alisson was called into action on more than one occasion, including being forced to deny Aleksandar Mitrovic twice in the second half. But when Neymar sent in a corner kick that Silva headed into the net in the 68th minute, Brazil were in full control and it was only about how many goals they would end up scoring. AP<doc-sep>Watch the highlights of goals and key plays as Brazil takes down Serbia to win their World Cup group. Brazil and Serbia both harbored hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage as they entered their Group E finale on Wednesday, but only the Seleção are going through. Paulinho scored in the first half, Thiago Silva scored in the second half and Brazil beat Serbia 2-0 to win the group and advance to a round-of-16 clash vs. Mexico. Switzerland's draw vs. Costa Rica in the other group finale sent the Swiss through in second, while Serbia is headed home. Gabriel Jesus pressured early for Brazil, getting free on the left-hand side only to be denied by on-rushing goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic in the fourth minute. Brazil suffered a massive setback in the 10th minute, when left back superstar Marcelo was forced out of the match with an injury. He was replaced by Filipe Luis. Brazil continued to push despite Marcelo's absence, and Neymar nearly struck in the 25th minute. Gabriel Jesus managed to squeeze the ball through a defender, where Neymar latched onto it at the near post. He took a blast trying to tuck it in the far post from an acute angle, but Stojkovic got enough of a hand on it to tip it wide of the mark. Brazil got its lead in the 35th minute, and it came from Paulinho. The Barcelona midfielder ran onto a wonderful pass over the top from his club teammate, Philippe Coutinho, and flicked a low lob over the onrushing Stojkovic to make it 1-0. Given that Switzerland had taken the lead on Costa Rica, Brazil needed that goal to remain atop the group. With the way things stood at that moment, Serbia was out. Neymar nearly made it 2-0 in sensational fashion in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. He had the space to fire a curling blast from 20 yards and very nearly picked out the opposite upper 90, only to have it curl wide of the post. Brazil pushed for a second as the second half began, and it nearly came from, again, Neymar. Coutinho played a great ball into space for the PSG star, who ran onto it and carried toward goal on the right-hand side. Stojkovic made a kick save, though, keeping it 1-0. With Switzerland level with Costa Rica in the other group finale, Serbia needs not only to continue defending, but come away with a win in order to go through. The Serbians nearly got their lifeline when Alisson came off his line for a cross and mishit his punch. It fell right to Aleksandar Mitrovic, who headed down but hit it right at the Brazilian goalkeeper, who happily made the save. Mitrovic had another chance in the 65th minute when he sized up a header off a cross from the right, but again he headed it down right at Alisson, who calmly saved. Serbia was left to rue those missed opportunities, as Brazil doubled its lead minutes later. It came off a corner kick, with veteran center back Thiago Silva heading home to make it 2-0. Stojkovic kept it at 2-0 in the 86th minute on a fluke play, when Neymar ran onto a deflected ball and tried to score from point-blank range on a lofted finish, only for the goalkeeper to swat his chance away. Denying Neymar from scoring was a small consoloation, though, as Serbia goes out, while Brazil prepares for the knockout stage. For highlights from the other simultaneous Group E finale between Switzerland and Costa Rica, read on here. Here were the lineups for both teams: Here are the rosters for both sides: SERBIA Goalkeepers: Vladimir Stojkovic (Partizan Belgrade), Predrag Rajkovic (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Marko Dmitrovic (Eibar) Defenders: Aleksandar Kolarov (AS Roma), Branislav Ivanovic (Zenit St. Petersburg), Dusko Tosic (Guangzhou R&F), Antonio Rukavina (Villarreal), Milos Veljkovic (Werder Bremen), Milan Rodic (Red Star Belgrade), Uros Spajic (Krasnodar), Nikola Milenkovic (Fiorentina) Midfielders: Nemanja Matic (Manchester United), Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Marko Grujic (Liverpool), Adem Ljajic (Torino), Dusan Tadic (Southampton), Filip Kostic (Hamburg SV), Andrija Zivkovic (Benfica), Nemanja Radonjic (Red Star Belgrade) Forwards: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United), Aleksandar Prijovic (PAOK Salonika), Luka Jovic (Benfica) Manager: Mladen Krstajic BRAZIL Goalkeepers: Alisson (Roma), Ederson (Man City), Cassio (Corinthians) Defenders: Danilo (Man City), Fagner (Corinthians), Thiago Silva (PSG), Miranda (Inter), Marquinhos (PSG), Pedro Geromel (Gremio), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid) Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Paulinho (Barcelona), Fernandinho (Man City), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona), Fred (Shakhtar), Willian (Chelsea) Forwards: Neymar (PSG), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Douglas Costa (Juventus), Taison (Shakhtar) Manager: Tite<doc-sep>
BRAZIL eased into the World Cup knockout stages after defeating Serbia 2-0 here Wednesday, with superstar Neymar sparkling in a win which sets up a last 16 clash against Mexico. Paulinho put Brazil ahead with a superb dinked finish on 36 minutes before Neymar swung in a cross for Thiago Silva to header the Selecao’s second goal with 22 minutes left in Moscow. Having opened his Russia 2018 account with the second of Brazil’s two late goals in Friday’s 2-0 win over Costa Rica, Neymar was again impressive. Brazil's players celebrates after teammate Brazil's Thiago Silva scoring his side's second goal d Source: AP Marcelo left the field injured after just 9 minutes Source: AP After the tearful emotion of Saint Petersburg, Neymar cut a more joyful figure after this win, blowing kisses to the crowd as the five-time champions celebrated. As Group E winners, Brazil will now face Mexico in Samara on Monday, with group runners-up Switzerland taking on Sweden in St. Petersburg on Tuesday. In the pre-match build-up Brazil coach Tite said Neymar alone can not “shoulder the responsibility” for his team’s World Cup hopes. However, the 26-year-old seemed content to carry Brazil’s attack, motoring through Serbia’s midfield and crashing an early shot just wide of the post. The match at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium began at a ferocious tempo and Brazil left-back Marcelo was an early casualty, limping off after ten minutes to be replaced by Filipe Luis. Neymar had the best chance of the opening half hour when he forced Serbia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic to palm his shot away. Brazil's Paulinho, second right, scores the opening goal Source: AP Dusan Tadic of Serbia hels Neymar Jr of Brazil as he lies injured Source: Getty Images Tempers frayed when Serbia midfielder Adem Ljajic scythed down Neymar, in full flight on the left flank, to earn a booking on 33 minutes. Brazil conjured the opener from nothing when a beautifully lofted pass from Philippe Coutinho found Paulinho, who flicked the ball over Stojkovic’s reach on 36 minutes to make it 1-0 at the break. Serbia repeatedly struggled to contain Brazil’s fleet-footed attack. Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic was the next Serbian midfielder to be booked when he fouled Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus on 48 minutes. Serbia’s brightest spell came with half an hour left, only to be let down by poor finishing. Ljajic stumbled to take a return pass after a charging run into Brazil’s box and then fired over shortly after. Brazil's Thiago Silva, center left, scores his side's second goal Source: AP Brazil's Thiago Silva celebrates after scoring his side's second goal Source: AP Then with his defence beaten, Brazil goalkeeper Alisson palmed a save straight at Aleksandar Mitrovic, but the Serbia forward could only head the ball back into the grateful arms of the Brazilian shotstopper. To cap Serbia’s frustrations, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic fired wide, then Mitrovic guided a powerful header straight at Alisson from a corner. However, Brazil made sure of the win when Neymar swung in a free-kick and his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Thiago crashed home his header, unmarked at the near post, on 68 minutes. With one eye on the last 16, Tite took off Countinho with ten minutes left while Neymar twice went close to scoring the Selecao’s third late on, but the Brazil coach can be happy with his star forward. RE-LIVE! (If you can’t see the blog, click here)