Former Argentina football captain Diego Maradona feels south American giants Brazil and Argentina got off to identical starts in Russia. Favourites always in the group stages, irrespective of the opposition, they opened against European teams and took the lead before settling for draws. No matter how much they dominated, the opposition didn’t let them score again.
Maradona wrote, “However, after the first two matches, Brazil’s position is far better than Argentina’s. They are still to reach the knockouts alright, but a draw away with a match to go is not bad going. They were made to work hard by Costa Rica and to come away with a win after that is a boost. It shows they can fight till the end, which is the sign of a team hungry to achieve. Their task is not easy. Serbia were unlucky to lose to Switzerland. They need three points and will give everything to get them. They have a win under their belt and could have at least drawn the second game had they not been denied a penalty by the German referee, who refused to consult VAR. There is a bit of Balkan verve in this team, which makes them dangerous rivals when cornered.”