Image Credits: Imago Images
Alisson and Brazil kicked off their final World Cup warm-up double-header in style on Sunday night, hammering Panama 6-2 at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were devastating in attack, with Vinicius Junior opening the scoring inside two minutes before Casemiro, Rayan, Lucas Paqueta, Igor Thiago and Danilo all got on the scoresheet.
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Panama did manage to score twice — the first coming in the 15th minute when Amir Murillo’s free kick struck Matheus Cunha in the wall and deflected wickedly past Alisson and into the net — a cruel moment for the goalkeeper that sparked boos from his own fans.
Nevertheless, Brazil media were not too harsh on the 33-year-old.
Ge Globo gave the Liverpool No.1 a 6.5/10 and wrote:
“He comfortably gathered a harmless first shot from Panama. On the second attempt on target, the ball took a deflection and went in. Not at fault, but he was still booed. He made a good save from a low, angled shot. He also parried well in a late first-half effort from Waterman.”
Meanwhile, Alisson was seemingly not happy with some of the boos he received after letting Panama’s freekick in for their second goal – despite it taking a nasty deflection:
“It’s the life of the goalkeeper, right? Even when he is not guilty, he is guilty,” he said as quoted by Terra.
“There is that saying: bad luck is the goalkeeper’s. Whenever you concede a goal, it’s the goalkeeper’s fault. The goalkeeper’s entire career is like this.
“Conceding a goal is the worst thing that can happen to the goalkeeper, whether it is a failure or not. When we concede a goal, it’s because we made mistakes as a group. It was an unlucky moment. But we also have to work so that this does not happen in the World Cup,” he said.”
Questions over Alisson’s Liverpool future have swirled for months. His contract, which was set to expire this summer, was extended by a 12-month option clause to keep him at Anfield until 2027. Interest from Juventus was reported throughout the season, but Liverpool have blocked a potential deal.