Allan And Richarlison Start As Brazil Preserve Perfect Record

Everton duo Allan and Richarlison both started as Brazil preserved their 100-per-cent record in World Cup qualifying courtesy of a 1-0 win over Venezuela in Sao Paulo on Friday night.

Allan - making his return to the international team for the first time since November 2019 - played the full 90 minutes in central midfield as the 29-year-old earned his 10th cap for the Seleção.

Blues teammate Richarlison was once again chosen to lead Brazil's attack and was on the field when Roberto Firmino netted the 67th-minute winner before being replaced by Pedro.


Richarlison - who took his international record to 22 caps - had Brazil ahead in the seventh minute only for the effort to be chalked off for offside, and the forward's foul on Venezuela keeper Wuilker Fariñez caused another strike from Douglas Luiz to be ruled out five minutes before half-time.

The victory means Brazil have nine points from nine and leaves them top of the South American qualifying group after three games ahead of a trip to Uruguay on Tuesday.

The top four sides in the 10-nation group qualify automatically for the World Cup finals in Qatar in 2022 and the fifth-placed team go into an inter-regional playoff.