Brazil national team manager Dunga has demanded his players adopt a boxer’s attitude if they are to register a win in their first CONMEBOL qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Chile in Santiago.
Brazil have a strong head-to-head record against Chile, winning 49 of the 70 encounters between the two. However, Chile have recently won the Copa America on home soil and will be full of confidence going into the clash.
The absence of star players will be a problem for each side with the Selecao having to do without star striker Neymar and La Roja without the services of heroes from the Copa America winning campaign in Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez.
We have to attack like a boxer – Dunga
Dunga has called for his team to maintain balance in the clash and has insisted that only defending will not help their cause.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, as quoted by Goal, Dunga said:
“Modern football has showed us that if you only defend, you aren’t going to win.
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“With the quality of the forwards, shots from long distance, we have to attack like a boxer.
“If you just defend it’s only a matter of time before the opposition lands a punch. Football is like that. We have to maintain a balance between defence and attack.”
In the last encounter between the countries at the Emirates Stadium in London, Brazil managed to come out on top courtesy of a Roberto Firmino goal.