Brazil score twice late on to see off Croatia in international friendly

[p]This game was both managers' last opportunity to have a look at their squads ahead of the end of the season, with some squad members potentially playing for their place at this summer's FIFA World Cup.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/livakovic-dominik/OOasPX9j/"]Dominik Livakovic[/a] was in particularly good form in the first half, parrying [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/danilo/KUjvgUhB/"]Danilo[/a]’s effort before denying [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a] what would have been his first [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a] goal from close range. The goalkeeper also tipped away [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a]’s curler from the edge of the box, but despite his heroics, he could not prevent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] from going behind before HT.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinicius-junior/CbwQ4Mws/"]Vinicius Junior[/a] led Brazil’s charge on the break before squaring for Danilo to strike first-time into the roof of the net. That was shortly before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vuskovic-luka/QLMh9ouh/"]Luka Vuskovic[/a] headed straight at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bento/0f0nZ3U7/"]Bento[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modric-luka/bZWyoJnA/"]Luka Modric[/a]’s free-kick, which was Croatia’s best chance heading into the second half. [/p][p]Zlatko Dalic’s men continued to threaten, and Bento was forced into another save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kramaric-andrej/6V0rWuu1/"]Andrej Kramaric[/a]’s strike from distance following the restart.[/p][p]As expected, Brazil made wholesale changes in the second period, with goalscorer Danilo taken off among some of the big-name stars. Subsequently, Croatia dominated possession and had the majority of the chances, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moro-nikola/SOva7ZCL/"]Nikola Moro[/a] the latest to try his luck from distance as he struck just wide.[/p][p]And, their pressure eventually paid off [b]as they equalised through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/majer-lovro/444Jw1Mr/"]Lovro Majer[/a], who squeezed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fruk-toni/G4BedhkN/"]Toni Fruk[/a]’s defence-splitting cross past the onrushing Bento.[/b][/p][embed guid="ae18d783-0044-4fc9-b608-575f8cc6cf5c" url="https://x.com/CBF_Futebol/status/2039161018215989613?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, Brazil were presented with a golden opportunity to restore their advantage almost immediately as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/endrick/bXHrpEJ4/"]Endrick[/a] was fouled in the area, resulting in a penalty for the [i]Selecao [/i]and, on just his second appearance for his country,[b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-thiago/MmJb4MzQ/"]Igor Thiago[/a] stepped up and sent Livaković the wrong way. [/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ancelotti-carlo/nZQG5IgJ/"]Carlo Ancelotti[/a]’s men then wrapped up victory [b]via [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinelli/dITe5M88/"]Gabriel Martinelli[/a], who lashed Endrick’s pass into the bottom corner[/b]. It is just Brazil’s second win in five matches (D1, L2), but gives them the best possible preparation for this summer's finals.[/p][p]Meanwhile, although Dalic will be disappointed with the end result, his team performed well and their display here, as well as their recent form, shows they will be a force to be reckoned in North America in June and July.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: Endrick (Brazil)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brazil-I9l9aqLq/croatia-K8aznggo/?mid=A3LetXFE"]View the match stats on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]