Gabriel Martinelli made a start as Brazil qualified for the World Cup on Tuesday night, but the Arsenal winger was denied an assist by a bizarre Matheus Cunha header.
Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli fights for the ball with Uruguay's Guillermo Varela during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament quarter-final football match between Uruguay and Brazil at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 6, 2024. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)
Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli made his first start for Brazil in over a year as they took on Paraguay on Tuesday night, and the Gunners forward will wonder how he came away from the match without a direct goal contribution.
Martinelli’s best chance to grab an assist came in the 35th minute, as he beat his man and lifted a cross to the far post.
Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha found himself unmarked and with the goal gaping, but his header ended up going behind him to the edge of the six-yard box.
LE HAVRE, FRANCE: Matheus Cunha of Brazil in action during the international friendly match between Brazil and Ghana at Stade Oceane on September 23, 2022. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
If you look at the stats websites, many of them don’t even recognise the chance Martinelli created. That’s because Cunha’s header was so far off target that it’s not clear he was attempting a shot, and many have recorded it as a failed pass instead.
It may even be true that the forward was attempting a cutback, though quite why he would do so with an open goal a couple of yards away is unclear.
Fortunately for Cunha, he made amends by providing an assist for Vinicius Jr. to score 10 minutes later.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Gabriel Martinelli of Brazil scores the team's fourth penalty in the penalty shoot-out during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 quarterfinal match between Uruguay and Brazil at Allegiant Stadium on July 06, 2024. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
The game ended 1-0, which was enough for Brazil to qualify for the World Cup. The top-six teams in the CONMEBOL standings qualify automatically, and with seventh-place Venezuela losing to Uruguay, it’s impossible for them to bridge the seven-point gap to Brazil in the final two matches.
The win also saw Brazil climb above Paraguay in the standings and up into third, only behind second-place Ecuador on goal difference. Though first-place Argentina are beyond their reach now.
Martinelli will hope to continue making an impact for Brazil over next few international breaks, with the World Cup taking place next summer. Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus will also be fighting for their spots on the plane next season.
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