Two of South America's strongest footballing nations locked horns as Brazil took on Chile in a friendly international.
Both sides headed into the contest on the back of encouraging victories but it was the Brazilians who emerged triumphant at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, thanks to goals from Hulk and Robinho.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live coverage of the friendly international between Brazil and Chile. These are two of South America’s biggest footballing nations and tonight they are at the Rogers Centre in Toronto to lock horns yet again.
Both teams will be fiercely competitive in this fixture even though this is only a friendly. Brazil and Chile both won their respective matches last week and will be looking to make it two in a row tonight.
Brazil will head into tonight’s clash on the back of a 5-0 victory over Honduras. Bernard, Dante, Maicon, Willian and Hulk all scored for the Selecao against the Central American nation.
As for Chile, they got the better of England 2-0 at the Wembley Stadium in London last Friday, Alexis Sanchez scoring twice against the Three Lions and continuing his brilliant form that he has shown for Barcelona so far this season.
However, Chile have not beaten Brazil in their last 11 attempts, with the five-time world champions winning eight of the past nine matches between the two nations. Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have also won their last five matches during which they have conceded just once.
The teamsheet has now been released and I will type the names shortly here. But I can tell you for certain that Neymar, Oscar and Hulk all start for Brazil.
CHILE XI: Bravo; Gonzalez, Medel, Jara; Mena, Carmona, Diaz, Fuenzalida; Sanchez, Gutierrez, Vargas
So both sides have sent out attacking teams tonight and one can rest assured that there will be goals tonight, hopefully more than two! The last eight fixtures between the two sides have all featured at least three goals, while Sanchez’s last three appearances for Chile have produced five goals.
Both sides have also booked their places in next year’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil. So this match will provide the teams to test their mettle and to gauge their strength. Brazil will head into next summer’s tournament as one of the huge favourites, while Chile are many observers' ‘dark horses’.
Kickoff is just under 10 minutes away from in Toronto. Fans in Canada should be looking forward to watching the best of South American football tonight!
It’s inching closer to kickoff now, Just around five minutes left as the players are getting ready to come onto the pitch.
The players are now on the pitch and the pre-match formalities are taking place.
KICKOFF Chile get the game off at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. 90 minutes of unalloyed fun await us all!
There are loads of Brazil fans inside the stadium and they are already in full voice. The 2014 World Cup hosts are hogging possession at the moment, but inside their own half.
Alexis Sanchez is already up and running down the right. His pace is electric but he is caught offside. The Barcelona forward has been in sensational form this season – 10 goals in as many games for club and country.
CHANCE! Neymar takes the first shot of the game from an acute angle outside the Chile penalty box, but it goes wide. It was an ambitious effort from the Barcelona forward, who has also been in great form this season.
Meanwhile, there are just under 50,000 spectators inside the stadium tonight – that is what I am hearing. That is a great number!
Marcelo Diaz is actually down at the moment, injured. The medical team is now on the pitch and it seems that he will be replaced.
SUBSTITUTION Chile are forced into making a change so early in the game. Jean Beausejour of Wigan Athletic replaces the injured Marcelo Diaz.
Wonderful play from both Sanchez and Luiz Gustavo. The Chilean forward receives the ball deep in midfield and decides to go on a solo run. However, he hangs onto the ball for far too long and is brilliantly dispossessed by Gustavo.
It has been a bright but somewhat quiet start to the contest, as both sides are still settling. Sanchez is looking especially lively tonight.
Julio Cesar has had more touches in this match than at Queens Park Rangers all season! Exaggeration? Maybe, maybe not.
GOAL! Brazil 1-0 Chile (Hulk)
And just like that, Brazil surge ahead. As a matter of fact, it is Chile who are responsible for this goal. They lose the ball far, far too cheaply near their penalty area as Marcos Gonzalez mis-passes the ball to Oscar, who slices a well-measured pass to Hulk, who then slams home from inside the area.
CHANCE! Now Neymar comes close with a shot that is turned away for a corner. Brazil are now pressing on full throttle.
CHANCE! Jo shoots over the crossbar after yet more poor defending from Chile. Brazil take a short corner that Oscar eventually plays into the Chile penalty box. It is headed clear but only as far as Jo on the edge of the box, but his shot is disappointingly off target.
Chile were supposed to be one of the stern tests for Brazil, but so far the 2014 World Cup hosts seem to be at ease against their South American neighbours. Are Brazil the number one favourites for the World Cup next year? Maybe...
Brilliant defending from Chile as they clear away the ball from Hulk’s feet after Neymar had found him deep inside the box.
SUBSTITUTION Another change for Chile. Jose Fuenzalida, a left-sided player, comes off for playmaker and number 10 Jorge Valdivia. Tactical change – let’s see if it works.
Brilliant attacking move from Brazil yet again. Neymar is the instigator as he gallops down the left flank and then plays it to Hulk in the middle. The giant striker leaves it for Oscar, who eventually loses the ball, though. Fascinating football from Luiz Felipe Scolari’s slick and crafty side.
Chile have been subdued since Brazil made the breakthrough in the 14th minute. They appear to be lacking imagination, intensity and movement in the attacking third.
Just as I was saying how Chile look quiet, they earn a corner. Is there an equaliser coming?
No, there is not but Eduardo Vargas does earn Chile yet another corner, which eventually yields another corner. Chile now increasing the pressure on the Brazilians...
Well, this Brazil side know how to defend and this time they clear the corner far away from their goal. Spare a thought for Thiago Silva, who might just be the best centre-back in the world at the moment. And he is playing tonight. No wonder Brazil are so strong both in attack and in defence.
YELLOW CARD Gary Medel cannot stop picking up yellow cards, can he? He picks up the first of this match for bringing down Oscar on the left flank.
David Luiz just about talks himself out of a yellow card. He hacks down Valdivia from the back but he apologises to the referee and accepts that he was at fault.
Now Jo and Carlos Carmona are on the ground as they clash with each other while going for the same ball. Thankfully, neither of them is hurt and play resumes.
Neymar earns a corner for Brazil with some silky footwork. He has not been at his best so far tonight, but has still caught the eye.
YELLOW CARD Another yellow card, this time to the Brazilian midfielder Paulinho.
Five minutes to half time and it is still 1-0 to Brazil, thanks to Hulk’s goal in the 14th minute. The match has gone flat, to be honest, in the last 10 or so minutes. As a matter of fact, the contest has not really lived up to expectations in the first half.
This is a very ‘complete’ Brazil side in that they have the perfect mixture of silk and steel. While Neymar, Oscar and to an extent Hulk are the ‘flair players’, in Luiz Gustavo and Paulinho they have two footballers who are not afraid to scrap it out in the middle of the park and lunge into challenges. This is a team that is built to win major competitions – they may not always play pretty football, but they know how to adapt their approach depending on the opposition.
As Jo goes down and asks for the medical team to help him, Scolari gives instructions to left-back Maxwell, who would not normally start but Marcelo is out. Even though this is a friendly, one can observe how seriously Brazil are taking this game. It is all a part of the build-up to the 2014 World Cup finals that they so desperately want to win at home.
We are now going into injury time...
The match has largely been played in bits and starts and it looks like there would be no change to that pattern in the final minutes of the first half.
HALF TIME: Brazil 1-0 Chile
The referee blows the half-time whistle and brings to an end what has been a largely disappointing first 45 minutes. Hulk’s goal in the 14th minute separates the two South American nations, but there has been little else of note.
The contest started promisingly enough, as Neymar had an early chance for Brazil with Chile’s Alexis Sanchez looking dangerous while going forward. Then Hulk made the breakthrough thanks to Oscar’s wonderful pass and from there on, Chile went quiet and hardly managed to put their opponents’ defence under any pressure.
Brazil also struggled to make any clear-cut openings since their goal, although the likes of Neymar and Jo did have half-chances. The match has been largely limited to midfield where there has been more bite than flair.
Hopefully the second half will be much better and both sides will go at each other. The first 45 minutes were scrappy with not much class oozing out – and we know how much quality and calibre the two sets of players have.
The second half will begin shortly and there could be changes at the break for the two sides as wonted in these friendly internationals. Hopefully there will be more goalmouth action as the spectators at the Rogers Centre in Toronto must really feel left down by the first-half action.
The two sets of players are now coming out onto the pitch as the second half is about to get underway. Actually the Chile players are on the pitch – the Brazilians are still in the tunnel.
And now the Brazilians decide to come back out of the tunnel and onto the pitch. I cannot see any changes from either side. Chile are in a huddle and discussing among themselves on how to get a goal against this very efficient and tight Brazil team.
KICKOFF Brazil kick off proceedings in the second half. They lead 1-0 from the first 45 minutes, thanks to Hulk’s goal.
David Luiz goes down holding his calf just as Eduardo Vargas runs past him in midfield. Was it a trailing leg from the Chilean that caught the Chelsea centre-back? Anyway, after medical treatment Luiz is back up and running.
Chile have commenced this half positively and are passing the ball around well and with intent.
CHANCE! Vargas plays a quick one-two with a teammate on the edge of the Brazil penalty box and then tries to curl a shot home, but it does not trouble Julio Cesar and goes wide. Good start from the Chileans in the second half.
CHANCE! Brazil very nearly make it 2-0 as Neymar, Hulk and Maxwell all combine in the attacking move. It is Neymar who makes the surging run from the midfield and then passes it to Hulk. From there Maxwell drills in a cross that is cleared away for a corner with Paulinho and Neymar both lurking in front of the goal-line.
SUBSTITUTION Jo hobbles off the pitch and on comes AC Milan forward Robinho for his 92nd cap for Brazil. He was once the ‘Next Pele’...
Vargas and Gustavo are involved in a tussle in the midfield with the Brazilian on top of the Chilean. That just about sums up how this match has been played.
CHANCE! Robinho is brilliantly released by star man Neymar but his final shot from close range from an acute angle is cleared away for a corner.
OFF THE POST! Neymar takes the corner and it is headed away, but only as far as Hulk outside the Chilean box. The striker lets fly with his left foot and it strikes the post and goes out! It was a brilliant shot from Hulk.
CHANCE! Brazil go on the attack again and once more it is Neymar who is pulling the strings. The Barcelona forward cuts in from the left and sets up Paulinho, whose shot on goal is somehow kept out by Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. Not sure how much he knew about that shot actually...
SUBSTITUTION Chile make yet another change. Matias Fernandez replaces Jorge Valdivia, who himself came on as a substitute in the first half.
Just under half an hour remain in this match. Brazil lead 1-0 and they could have gone 2-0 up had Hulk’s effort not struck the frame of the Chile goal. Scolari seems to be readying a couple of changes, and one of them will see Ramires come onto the pitch.
Fernandez tries to play the super-sub role a bit too superbly as he goes for an audacious shot from way out and watches his shot fly high and wide of Julio Cesar’s goal.
SUBSTITUTION Double change for Brazil. Oscar comes on for Willian, while Hulk is replaced by Ramires.
YELLOW CARD Robinho goes into the referee’s book now for a stud-on challenge.
Desperate defending from Chile as they somehow manage to avert another dangerous attack from Brazil. This time it is Ramires who is the fulcrum of the attack with Neymar looking dangerous in possession inside the box, but he is eventually dispossessed and the ball is played out for a corner.
YELLOW CARD Now Jean Beausejour is shown the yellow card for a tug-back on Ramires in the build-up to that Brazil chance. It seems that the referee had initially played the advantage to Scolari’s team.
Twenty minutes remain in this all-South American friendly international between Brazil and Chile in Toronto. It is still 1-0 to the former, thanks to Hulk’s goal in the 14th minute. The second half has been much better overall than the first, with Brazil still dominating and looking the likelier side to score.
GOAL! Brazil 1-1 Chile (Eduardo Vargas)
Eduardo Vargas scores his 11th goal in 27 international matches for Chile and how! A long goal kick from Claudio Bravo comes off Beausejour and falls kindly to Vargas just outside the Brazil penalty box. He takes a touch to set himself up for the shot and then fires home past Cesar. Game on!
GOAL DISALLOWED! The ball is inside the Chile goal but it is ruled out. Maicon drills in a cross from the right that is put back in front of the Chile box from where Neymar flicks home, but the assistant linesman raises his flag for an offside infringement.
SUBSTITUTION Brazil make a change now. Dante comes on for Thiago Silva. Not a bad substitution, eh?
YELLOW CARD Another yellow card, this time for Chile’s Carlos Carmona.
Brazil are increasingly looking more and more likely to score their second and what could prove to be the winning goal in this match.
GOAL! Brazil 2-1 Chile (Robinho)
And the second Brazilian goal finally comes. Once again Neymar is the architect as he creates space for himself outside the Chile box from where he releases Maicon on the right flank. The former Inter Milan full-back floats in a cross that Robinho heads in unmarked and unattended.
This is nothing more than what Brazil deserve, to be honest. They have been much the better side all evening and Vargas’s equaliser for Chile came much against the run of play. Having said that, Chile are now readying themselves to take a free kick...
No, this time Brazil are able to fend off the danger and go on a breathtaking counter-attack with Robinho, Willian and Neymar all combining. In the end, it takes the right leg of Bravo to keep the score at 2-1 in favour of the Brazilians.
SUBSTITUTION Paulinho, who has worked tirelessly in midfield for Brazil, is replaced by Lazio playmaker Hernanes.
Ramires and Eugenio Mena are both down on the pitch after a clash of heads as they went for the same ball. However, it is nothing serious as a quick medical attention and both players are on their feet.
SUBSTITUTION Change for Chile now. Felipe Gutierrez, who has been largely anonymous in this contest, is replaced by Carlos Munoz.
Sanchez is down clutching his leg at the moment. There have been too many niggling fouls in this match, I must say, far too many that you would anticipate from a friendly.
Oh, Brazil appeared to be on yet another sensational counter-attack as Willian found himself with the ball and went on a surging run down the middle with Robinho and Neymar ahead of him. However, he failed to pick his man correctly and lost the ball.
Three minutes of injury time have been added. Brazil lead Chile 2-1. Will there be late drama in Toronto?
SUBSTITUTION One last change for Brazil. Lucas Leiva of Liverpool replaces Barcelona’s Oscar, who is applauded by the fans as he leaves the pitch.
SUBSTITUTION One last change for Brazil. Lucas Leiva of Liverpool replaces Barcelona’s Oscar, who is applauded by the fans as he leaves the pitch.
CHANCE! Ramires shoots on goal first time after collecting a loose ball but it is hit straight at Bravo.
CHANCE! Now Robinho shoots from a good position but it goes just wide of the target. Surely this is the last meaningful action of the match...
FULL TIME: Brazil 2-1 Chile
It’s all over at the Rogers Centre in Toronto as Brazil have beaten Chile 2-1 in the friendly international between the sides. In what eventually proved to a largely one-sided affair, the Brazilians took the lead in the 14th minute through Hulk. Eduardo Vargas restored parity much against the run of play in the 71st minute, but Robinho ascertained the win for the 2014 World Cup hosts with his goal eight minutes later.
This was by no means a vintage South American game of football and was scrappy on occasions, but it was overall an entertaining affair that Brazil dominated and deserved to win.
Thank you very much for joining me here on Sports Mole tonight and hope that you enjoyed our live coverage. Have a good night, it’s goodbye from me for now.
