MATCH REPORT: Brazil 0-0 Mexico World Cup 2014 - Neymar and co denied by fine goalkeeping from Guillermo Ochoa
- A section of the Brazilian support boo the host nation's efforts
- Mexico looked threatening and were afforded plenty of time and space on the ball to inflict damage
- Guillermo Ochoa with several fine saves to deny Neymar
- One compared to Gordan Banks stop against Pele
- Hulk doesn't recover from injury with Chelsea midfielder starting in his place
- Javier Hernandez on the bench for Mexico
- Neymar double helped Brazil defeat Croatia 3-1 in tournament's opening game
- Mexico also looking for second victory after beating Cameroon 1-0
- Group A leaders clash in Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza
That's all from me for now, but we have the last teams to introduce themselves in Brazil up net.
It's Russia vs South Korea, with the game kicking off at 11pm.
Brilliant point for Mexico, well deserved too. Ochoa was in fine form, but Brazil never really got behind El Tri tonight.
A loser between Croatia and Cameroon tomorrow will go out of the tournament now, with these two in pole position to qualify.
90mins: Three minutes added on, and again Mexico go close. A shot is parried away by Cesar and Hernandez so nearly gets on the end of it.
88mins: Awful play acting from Marcelo, fair play to the referee. The full-back has space in the box when he is pulled back slightly by Jimenez, and he goes down like he's been shot two seconds later.
The official waves it away, well done.
85mins: Looks like we're heading for the second draw of the World Cup, and the second 0-0. But it's been one of those tournaments...
And Ochoa makes another fine save! Thiago Silva meets Neymar's free-kick but the goalkeeper instinctively turns it away. Great reflexes.
84mins: Chelsea midfielder for Chelsea midfielder, Oscar looks knackered. Meanwhile, Raul Jimenez is on for Giovani Dos Santos for the visitors.
80mins: Awful challenge from Thiago Silva, who comes through the back of Javier Hernandez. The striker would have been away there too, so he's perhaps lucky it was only a booking. Dangerous free-kick for Mexico, but Dos Santos' effort is blocked.
76mins: Extra legs for Mexico. Well needed, too.
75mins: Nice movement from Brazil, and Jo in particular. Bernard feeds the former £18m man but unfortunately for him he shanks his shot well wide.
73mins: Here comes Chicarito! We know if he get a chance he'll score it... have Mexico got anything left? Brazil are quickening the pace.
69mins: Another top stop from Ochoa! The ball finds its way to Neymar at the back post who chests it down and fires towards goal on the volley, but the Mexican stands his ground and it ricochets away.
67mins: Brazil don't deserve to be in front, overall it's been even. Fred gets a splattering of boos as he is replaced, by former Manchester City reject Jo. Can he force a winner to see the hosts qualify for the nextr ound?
62mins: Vazques is harshly given a yellow after taking down Neymar. The No 10 is certainly protected here in Brazil.
59mins: The wing-back booked after one too many rash tackles on Oscar.
58mins: Mexico are edging closer! Brazil can't even get hold of the ball any more, with Herrera this time troubling Cesar. The home fans are trying to urge their team on, but it's not working as of yet.
54mins: Again Cesar is worried by a Mexican shot from long range. Vazquez, this time with his left foot, strikes his effort just over the angle of the post and the crossbar.
52mins: After a frantic start, Brazil's play has gone flat. They are making it easy for Mexico to defend, passing the ball around slowly with little movement. Bernard is trying to change that.
48mins: Great defending! Rodriguez with a fine header away as Bernard's cross is fired across goal. Neymar just couldn't get there in time.
Bernard is on for Ramires, more attacking approach from Scolari. The youngster has had a fine season for Shakhtar with Ukraine.
Fred has hardly got into this game, he needs to do more after the break.
The target man has touched the ball just 12 times, and has been caught offside nearly as much.
That's it then, goalless at the break. It hasn't quite been the beautiful game in Fortaleza, with several tackles, as well as a lack of composure, disrupting attacks.
Ochoa has pulled off a few stunning saves, but Mexico have looked dangerous at times from long range.
All in all, they'll certainly be happier than the hosts.
44mins: Finally a booking! This game has deserved one. Aguilar knocks it past Ramires on the right and the Chelsea midfielder inexplicably brings him down.
43mins: Another big stop from Ochoa! Neymar's free-kick is chested down in the box and David Luiz pokes it towards goal, only to be prevented by the keeper's chest. Brave goalkeeping.
41mins: Mexico go close! Again from long range. Vazquez slices his shot from 30 yards but Julio Cesar wasn't sure about it, scampering down to his left. Brazil just haven't got going...
38mins: Most shots coming from distance here, with Marcelo the latest to see his effort dragged wide.
33mins: Brazil are turning up the heat (as if that wasn't needed in Fortaleza), with Scolari's men camped in Mexico's half now. The visitors will be happy wuth how things are shaping up though.
26mins: Guillhermo Ochoa was superb in the first game and he's produced another fine save here. Neymar gets up for a header brilliantly at the back post and it's heading into the corner before the Mexican gets a finger tip to it. Best chance for Brazil, that.
23mins: Better from Mexico... Oribe Peralta dances into the box and could have actually gone down. Credit it to him for staying on his feet after stumbling over a challenge in the box, but his side could have had a penalty there.
And soon after, Herrera's strike is well saved by Cesar! The midfielder strikes from 30 yards and the QPR (yes, that's right) keeper does well to tip it over. The referee gives a goal kick though... bizarre.
21mins: Much like on Thursday, Brazil looking to go long to find Fred. The striker's been caught offside three times now though, his runs need to improve.
17mins: There he is! Neymar comes to the party. The youngster dances past two tackle before flicking the ball with his heel round the corner. Superb stuff.
Mexico keeping two strikers up top so are obviously looking to play on the counter, but are struggling to get the ball without giving a way a foul at the moment.
This is the Turkish referee who so enraged Manchester United fans by sending off Nani against Real Madrid at Old Trafford two seasons ago but he is being rather lenient tonight. This has been a frantic start to the game by both teams. A yellow card may just help to calm things down.
13mins: Another poor tackle, this time from Dani Alves. Still, no card given by the Turkish referee.
Brazil starting to penetrate, Marcelon this time getting space on the left but his cross deflects onto Paulinho and out for a goal kick.
10mins: Fred misses a sitter from six yards after fine work from Oscar down the left. Luckily for the big man, the flag was up. I'll be honest, I think he knew.
7mins: Plenty of fouls so far but not too much flow. This certainly isn't your typical Brazil side. It's fast, it's furious, and dare I say there isn't too much technical quality so far...
Well the sun has come out for the first time all day just as this game has kicked off. Lets hope that an omen for what is to follow. Great atmosphere as you can imagine. I have no idea whay Mexico aren't wearing green by the way. Maybe they didn't want to clash with the ref!!!
2mins: Few feisty challenges already, with Vazquez leaving one on Neymar early on. Mexico have an early free-kick in a dangerous position but David Luiz clears well.
Away we go in Fortaleza! Brazil kick us off, kicking from left to right. Mexico start in a red strip, never seen that one before.
Neymar in tears after that, again, the music stops to allow the fans and the players to belt out the players together.
Out come the players! The Brazilian national anthem was sung with such passion last week, and they are coming out in what I would call a Conga... probably not called that in Portuguese.
Just 15 minutes until kick-off here, it should be an intriguing tactical battle.
Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 at the Confedarations Cup last year, but that win was only settled in stoppage time.
Luis Scolari said after the tournament that El Tri troubled them more than eventual finalists Spain...
El Tri captain Rafael Marquez said: "We have to cover, have two against one, be fast and reduce the spaces on the pitch and not let [Neymar] play.
Good luck!
We know how Brazil will set up, giving Neymar all the freedom he may require to fire them to victory.
But what about Mexico? They stick with their 5-3-2 formation, with Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar sure to bomb on from wing-back.
Look out for Andres Guardado from midfield too, as well as Dos Santos up top. He had a fine season in La Liga with Villarreal.
Coral have Neymar has 11/4 to open the scoring tonight, while if you fancy an outside bet, Mexico are 17/2.
The atmosphere is incredible at the Estadio Costelao right now, with the players just coming out to warm up.
As I mentioned earlier, I feel Brazil will need to improve from their last performance to beat the Mexicans, who should have won their game against Cameroon more comfortably.
And it's not just the home fans making the noise, there are plenty of Central Americans in Fortaleza this evening. What are your predictions?
- Brazil and Mexico are meeting for the fourth time at the World Cup. The Seleção have won their three previous meetings with a combined score of 11-0.
- Brazil and Mexico met the last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, in the opening game of the 1950 edition at the Maracanã. The Seleção won 4-0.
- Brazil and Mexico last met in the 2013 Confederations Cup, at the same venue as this game, the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza. Luiz Felipe Scolari's men won 2-0 thanks to goals from Neymar and Jô.
- Mexico have only beaten the Seleção once on Brazilian soil. It was on October 31, 1968 in a friendly (2-1).
- Mexico have only won one of their 11 games at the World Cup against South American sides (2-1 v Ecuador in 2002), drawing two and losing eight.
- Luiz Felipe Scolari has faced Mexico once before at the World Cup. It was in charge of Portugal in the 2006 edition. His side won 2-1 in the group stages.
- Neymar has scored 33 goals in only 50 appearances for Brazil and has six in his last four appearances for the Seleção.
- Brazil have lost just one of their 34 World Cup matches in the first round/group stages of the World Cup since 1970 (W27 D6) – this came in a 1-2 defeat by Norway in their final group game of 1998 (but they had already qualified for the next stage).
- The Seleção are now unbeaten in 38 successive matches in Brazil, with their last defeat coming against Paraguay (0-1in a friendly) in August 2002.
- Oribe Peralta has scored nine goals in his last seven competitive appearances for Mexico, including the winner in the opening group stage game of this tournament.
Read Matt Lawton's interview with Lima above, the man who played with Pele and taught Neymar as a youngster.
'In terms of attitude, they are the same,' he says. 'Neymar also has something that even Pele doesn't. The speed of his feet and the way he can move the ball. Very fast.
'The vision of the game, too, you can compare them. But the attitude is the thing that is most similar.
'It frustrates me that Neymar plays on the left side for Brazil. No, let the boy play! Don't hold him to a position. Neymar can play everywhere. When you put him just in one position you make it better for the opposition.'
Ochoa, Rodriguez, Marquez, Herrera, Layun, Dos Santos, Moreno, Guardado, Peralta, Aguilar, Vazquez
Mexico are unchanged, so the Manchester United striker misses out once again.
Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Paulinho, Fred, Neymar, Oscar, Ramires, Luiz Gustavo
Subs: Jefferson, Victor, Dante, Maxwell, Henrique, Maicon, Fernandinho, Hernanes, Bernard, Willian, Jo.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires comes in for the injured Zenit star, slight defensive move from Luis Scolari. Expect the work-horse to line up on the right, with Neymar through the centre.
No concrete news as of yet, but Hulk is a major doubt for the hosts; other than that, they should be unchanged.
Javier Hernandez could return for Mexico, who also have Giovani Dos Santos at their disposal.
Hello and welcome to Sportsmail's World Cup coverage as Brazil take on Mexico in Group A.
The Neymar-inspired hosts weren't particularly convincing in their 3-1 win against Croatia last week, but will have course have a passionate crowd on their side tonight.
They need to beware of Mexico though, who also won their opening games and have the attacking threat to hurt the Samba stars.
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