Have we already seen the best goal of the World Cup?

Lusail: Richarlison scored two goals, the second with a spectacular acrobatic kick, to help Brazil beat Serbia 2-0 at the World Cup on Thursday (Friday AEDT).

In the 73rd minute, the striker used one touch to get the ball up in the air and then spun around and got off the ground before knocking the ball into the net with his right foot.

Brazil had struggled to get past the Serbian defence until Richarlison scored from close range in the 62nd in a buildup that started with Neymar.

Vinicius Junior assisted on both goals.

Neymar, seeking his first major title with Brazil, stayed at 75 goals for the national team, two shy of Pele’s scoring record.

Brazil coach Tite started with an attack-minded squad that included four forwards — Neymar, Vinicius, Raphinha and Richarlison. Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta played alongside Casemiro, the lone defensive midfielder.

Richarlison celebrates the first goal of his second-half double for Brazil.Credit: AP

But Serbia had several players back and were able to keep Brazil from creating many significant opportunities. Neymar tried to control the pace but struggled to find space up front. He, Vinicius and Raphinha all squandered chances early on.

Brazil’s best chance before Richarlison’s opening goal had been a low long-range shot by Alex Sandro that hit the post in the 60th. Neymar had his best opportunities with a free kick in the 50th and a shot from near the penalty spot in the 55th.

The 30-year-old Neymar arrived at his third World Cup as Brazil’s main attraction. He helped the Selecao win the 2013 Confederations Cup and its first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, but has yet to win a major title with the national team.

Brazil, trying to win their first World Cup in two decades, are unbeaten in its last 20 opening games, with 17 victories. They have finished first in their group at the last 10 World Cups.

Brazil and Serbia also played in the group stage in 2018, with Brazil also winning 2-0 to reach the next stage at Serbia’s expense.

Switzerland’s Breel Embolo scores the only goal of the match.Credit: AP

Earlier in Group G, Switzerland edged past Cameroon 1-0 courtesy of a goal against the run of play by Cameroon-born Breel Embolo on Thursday for an opening win.

Embolo, born in Yaounde but raised in Basel, struck three minutes after the restart from a Xherdan Shaqiri cutback to put them top of the section.

The 25-year-old refused to celebrate the goal as the small group of Swiss fans cheered wildly at Al Janoub Stadium.

Cameroon’s Collins Fai, left, heads the ball next to Switzerland’s Ruben Vargas.Credit: AP

The Swiss goal came after Cameroon, without a win in the World Cup for 20 years, had dominated the first half, missing several good chances to take the lead.

The Indomitable Lions, who eliminated Algeria in a play-off to qualify for the tournament, had outplayed the Swiss in the first 45 minutes with quick combinations, speed and power as their opponents remained toothless up front.

They carved out their first chance after 10 minutes with Bryan Mbeumo testing goalkeeper Yann Sommer before Karl Toko Ekambi sent his rebound over the bar.

The Swiss were in trouble again a little later with in-form forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting snatching the ball from an opponent to charge into the box, only for Sommer to block his effort.

In search of their first win at a World Cup in 20 years, Cameroon were bolder, taking on their opponents in one-on-one situations, while the Swiss rarely managed to get into their opponents’ box.

Switzerland, who reached the round of 16 in the two previous World Cups, struck at the start of the second half with Xherdan Shaqiri cutting into the box and Embolo tapping in what proved to be the winner.

An almost identical move just past the hour almost saw the Swiss score again but Ruben Vargas’s shot was pushed wide by keeper Andre Onana, who kept his team in the game.

The Swiss now play Brazil on Monday, with Cameroon taking on Serbia.

Uruguay draw with South Korea

Uruguay faltered in their World Cup opener against a lively and energetic South Korea after they were held to a 0-0 draw in Group H.

South Korean superstar Son Heung-min failed to pull any rabbits out of his hat.Credit: AP

Clear-cut chances were rare for either side at the Education City Stadium and although Uruguay created more goalscoring opportunities, neither team were able to register a shot on target.

Uruguay captain Diego Godin was denied by the woodwork while South Korea forward Hwang Ui-jo blasted over the bar, leaving both teams to rue missed chances.

Uruguay’s first sight of goal came in the 19th minute through Federico Valverde, who connected with Jose Maria Gimenez’s pass and took a touch before firing a half-volley towards goal, but his ambitious attempt went just over the bar.

The South Americans had begun to find their footing when South Korea, having been patient so far, disrupted their rhythm and launched a counter-attack from a Uruguay corner before the half-hour mark.

Son Heung-min picked up the ball on the left flank and cut inside, skipping past two Uruguay defenders before curling a right-footed effort towards goal, but left back Mathias Olivera was able to clear it away.

South Korea should have taken the lead in the 34th minute when Moon-hwan Kim fizzed the ball into the penalty area and into the path of Hwang in front of goal, but the forward could not keep his composure and sent it over the crossbar.

The closest Uruguay came to scoring in the first half was just before the break, when centre back Godin rose highest to power a header from Valverde’s corner, but it bounced off the left post and away from goal.

Gimenez made a crucial tackle to deny Son five minutes after the restart after a flowing move from South Korea, while Jung Woo-young blocked midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur’s powerful strike at the other end.

Uruguay saw more of the ball but found few chances to break through the South Korean defence until the closing stages, when Valverde unleashed a thunderbolt in the final minute of regulation time that struck the top of the post.

AP/Reuters

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.