MATT BARLOW: Kyle Walker and Vinicius Jnr will hope to lock horns in the Champions League too, but the England and Man City ace was forced off against Brazil with injury
- Brazil beat England 1-0 in Saturday's friendly at Wembley courtesy of Endrick
- Kyle Walker went off injured, but will hope to face Vinicius Junior in Europe soon
- Brazil in blue – you want to think of yellow and Pele and not think about Everton - Listen to the It's All Kicking Off podcast
Again, there was an embrace when the duel was over. Although this time, the end was premature for Kyle Walker and both he and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will hope his injury is nothing serious.
All being well, Walker and Vinicius Junior will lock horns in club colours in little more than a fortnight, for the first leg of Champions League quarter final in Madrid. It is a delicious prospect.
Two undisputed masters of their craft. The Brazilian, who moves with athletic ease, one of the most threatening dribblers in world football and the new poster boy for his national team in the post-Neymar era.
His name drew the greatest roar of approval from the South American corner of Wembley Stadium when the teams were announced.
Up against him, the finest right back of the Premier League years, lightning quick, a match for any winger in a sprint and a mature and wily defender. Rolled in with this, a little bit of history and a little bit of needle.
![All being well, Kyle Walker and Vinicius Junior will also lock horns in the Champions League](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/23/20/82817311-13231561-image-a-108_1711227252443.jpg)
All being well, Kyle Walker and Vinicius Junior will also lock horns in the Champions League
![The Man City ace was forced off with injury, and Pep Guardiola will hope it is not serious](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/23/20/82817315-13231561-image-m-110_1711227307632.jpg)
The Man City ace was forced off with injury, and Pep Guardiola will hope it is not serious
The Englishman came out on top when they tussled memorably over two legs, this time last year, in the Champions League.
Walker took umbrage when Vinicius tried to ‘rainbow flick’ his way past him, and had a stern South Yorkshire word in his ear on the matter of respect as they shared one of those passive-aggressive hugs Nigel Pearson specialises in, after the first leg.
Then he stuck the Brazilian in his pocket as City won the return 4-0 in Manchester and their personal duel here at Wembley was shaping into another classic when England’s captain surrendered to a fitness concern.
It looked like a tweak to the left hamstring as he raced back to cover Jordan Pickford and deny Vinicius what would have been the opening goal with a clearance from his own goal line.
He stretched and a jog up and down the touchline. He came back on and, maybe sensing a weakness, Vinicius picked up the ball and ran at him in the penalty box, sidling by and falling down, claiming a penalty.
It wasn’t and nor should it have been, but this was Walker’s cue. Twenty minutes into the friendly and off came the armband. He turned immediately to Vinicius, gave him another embrace and made way for Ezri Konsa.
What better test on your England debut? Konsa is quick, which helps. He can play right back, with plenty of experience there for Aston Villa this season but he is a central defender by trade.
![Vinicius broke clear and forced the save from which substitute Endrick scored the rebound](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/23/21/82817703-13231561-image-m-125_1711228247663.jpg)
Vinicius broke clear and forced the save from which substitute Endrick scored the rebound
Vinicius was probably pleased to see the back of Walker. On his first engagement with his replacement, he left Konsa in a heap on the turf and darted inside but the Villa defender warmed to the challenge.
He got close and smothered him, and proved attentive when England dominated for long spells in second half, offering Brazil huge spaces into which they could counterattack.
It is a defender’s nightmare against a forward as quick and direct as Vinicus but Konsa coped well and even threw in one of those drag-back turns once the hallmark of Zinedine Zidane.
Within 10 minutes of a clean sheet, however, it was Vinicius who broke clear and forced the save from which substitute Endrick scored. There was a hint of offside but VAR waved it through and a night of satisfaction for England’s defensive unit was spoiled.
They didn’t look like Brazil in a shade of blue evoking the Azzurri of Italy, and quite a few of the names were unfamiliar and yet there were flashes of quality and passages of play when they fizzed the ball around with panache.
![Silvestre Dorival Junior came under criticism, but they ended a run of four games without a win](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/23/21/82817737-13231561-image-a-126_1711228329567.jpg)
Silvestre Dorival Junior came under criticism, but they ended a run of four games without a win
When they did, they dragged England’s defensive players out of place, opened spaces and played through. Quick passes. One touch, two touch. Samba rhythms. Without the ball, they displayed the steely cynical edge often masked by their brilliance. Each of the midfield trio cut down England’s attackers early on with heavy challenges.
Back home, they grumbled through first game under Dorival Junior. The feeling was they played too deep, on the back foot, wilfully surrendering possession and territory to England and playing on the break.
The thing is, it proved successful. The late goal by their teenage sensation ended a miserable sequence of four without a win, the sort of tangible progress Brazil require at this new dawn.
They celebrated like it mattered and this time the champagne went to Vinicius Junior, the ice pack to Kyle Walker.
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