Off the wire
Dollar trades in lower 120 yen zone in early Tokyo  • Soccer lawmaker vetoes Brazil bid for video referee  • Midwest U.S. town house showcasing Sino-American friendship open to visitors  • Chinese envoy calls for continuous international support in Afghan reconstruction, development  • Roundup: Canadian stock market edges up as U.S. Fed keeps interest rates unchanged  • Argentina reopens meat exports to Canada after 14 years  • Roundup: U.S. stocks end mixed after Fed decision  • Tunisian PM says municipal elections to be held by 2016  • Roundup: Tension in parliament high, as Italy's cabinet speeds up on Senate reform bill  • UN's new Sustainable Development Goals rest on climate action: UN official  
You are here:   Home

Brazil names Oscar, Coutinho for World Cup qualifiers

Xinhua, September 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Chelsea midfielder Oscar and Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho were Thursday included in Brazil's squad for their opening 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Venezuela.

But there was no place for veteran Kaka, who had been recalled for friendlies against Costa Rica and the USA earlier this month, or former captain Thiago Silva.

The Selecao will also be without captain Neymar for next month's fixtures as he serves the final two matches of a four-game international ban.

Brazil will play this year's Copa America champions Chile in Santiago on October 8 before hosting Venezuela in Fortaleza five days later.

Oscar returns to the team after missing the Selecao's victories over Costa Rica and the USA due to injury. Coutinho was called up as the Chelsea player's replacement for the matches.

In his press conference to announce the squad on Thursday, Brazil coach Dunga admitted the team still bore scars from their 7-1 World Cup semifinal defeat to Germany last year.

"We now have to change the focus," Dunga said. "What happened in the last World Cup is the same as 1950. It is a scar that will remain forever. And we have to be honest with our fans and admit that we will have difficulties.

"Even when Brazil had a far superior team, we have had difficulty in qualifying. We trust that we will do it. We will suffer, but we will qualify."

Dunga added that the absence of Neymar would be no excuse for sub-par performances against Chile and Venezuela.

"These players are in the squad because they are the best," he said. "In the 70s Pele was the big star and Jairzinho scored seven goals. A team does not win with just one player. It takes the collective. Who is stronger? The pack or a lone wolf? One does not live without the other. When we have a strong group, things will happen naturally. Nobody wins alone."

The matches will be Brazil's first competitive outings since their Copa America quarterfinal loss to Paraguay on penalties in June.

Goalkeepers: Jefferson (Botafogo), Marcelo Grohe (Gremio), Alisson (Internacional).

Defenders: David Luiz (PSG), Miranda (Inter Milan), Marquinhos (PSG), Gil (Corinthians), Fabinho (Monaco), Rafinha (Bayern Munich), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Marcelo (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Elias (Corinthians), Renato Augusto (Corinthians), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Lucas Lima (Santos), Lucas Moura (PSG), Willian (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Oscar (Chelsea).

Forwards: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Hulk (Zenit). Endi