There is nothing a Brazil team enjoys more than winning in the heat. Well that and, at least as far as Neymar is concerned, rolling around in apparent agony after the lightest of touches from an opponent. 

Football is not a popularity contest. Winners have no need to curry favour beyond their fanbase. And this Brazilian side have the steely look of champions, the way they played in the Samara sauna suggesting they might be without flaw. Except this one: if they are to win the World Cup, their success will be tarnished by the pitiful interjections of their superb forward. 

In truth Neymar’s play-acting at this World Cup has been little short of scandalous. He was by turns brilliant and ridiculous here in Samara, by turns wonderful athlete and childish ego. And, after he attempted a bold bid for a Golden Globe rather then the Golden Boot by rolling around as if under sniper fire following the lightest of pecks on his shin from the Mexico’s substitute Miguel Layun, if the Mexican coach Juan Carlos Osorio is right, it might be a while before he is welcome to holiday in Cancun.

“Unfortunately, and I think it’s a shame for football, we wasted a lot of time because of the behaviour of one single player,” complained Osorio. “It is a man’s sport, there shouldn’t be so much acting.” 

The oddity about Neymar’s undignified thespian spoiling is that it seems so unnecessary. Because he is part of a very smart Brazil team. Here they were up against a Mexican team determined to advance to the quarter-finals after seven successive defeats in the World Cup’s last 16. The gap in talent between the two sides was evident in the line ups: while Brazil’s is filled with representatives from Real Madrid and PSG, Mexico’s come from Real Betis and PSV. 

But that did not stop them trying to take the game to their supposed superiors. There was an engaging puppyishness about the green-shirted side, characterised in the non-stop effort of Javier Hernandez. Though incessant running is a quality that will have come as a surprise to anyone who saw him post in some performances for West Ham last season. 

With Hernandez sparkling, Osorio was good to his pre-match commitment to attack, attack and then try once more to attack.

The Mexicans’ problem was, much as they scurried and sweated, this Brazil side are very good defensively. It may seem counter-intuitive for a team in possession of so much creative talent to top the goal-prevention charts at this World Cup. But they do. Largely because, in the centre of midfield, Paulinho and Casemiro provide an astonishingly resilient barrier.

It was summed up in the experience of Hirving Lozano, the man who had first holed German enterprise with his winning goal against the champions. He constantly zig-zagged past yellow shirts. But every time he did so, another appeared in his way. He spent most of his afternoon travelling sideways.

And the thing about Brazil, with the skill and pace they have in that front four, with Willian quietly covering every blade of grass, when they attack it is with proper threat. There was a lot of shadow boxing, a lot of range finding, a lot of preparing the ground before, early in the second half, the Chelsea man suddenly applied the afterburners and skidded round the Mexican defence before sliding in a perfect cross. It missed Gabriel Jesus but Neymar came piling in to scoop the ball home. 

It was a lovely finish, a telling reminder of his growing return to form after prolonged injury. But then, not long after, Neymar slid into touch and ended up with the ball between his knees. And when the Mexico substitute Layun attempted to grab it to take the resulting throw in, the Brazilian suddenly appeared to have been shot at close range and rolled and whined and wailed, clearly trying to convince the referee GBH had occurred. Fortunately he failed, play resumed after it was clear the contact between the pair had been the equivalent of a greeting peck on the cheek. 

Not that Neymar’s coach was keen to suggest his player had done anything wrong. “The video evidence is there,” said Tite. “Study the video.”

However, unable to get what he wanted - Layun’s expulsion - Neymar decided to do things properly. And, surprise surprise, when he went legit he was magnificent. Showing that anything Willian could do he could too, he flew into the area and spun a gilt-edged invitation of a cross in front of the despairing Guillermo Ochoa. Roberto Firmino, arriving unattended at the far post, scored with almost his first touch after coming on as substitute for his former Liverpool club mate Philippe Coutinho. 

From that point on, there was no way back for Mexico. True they huffed and puffed and left everything on the pitch, a credit to their magnificent followers, who never stopped encouraging. But this was Brazil’s afternoon; they were ruthless, clever, offering pertinent reminder to all those looking at the other half of the draw in search of a new winner of the tournament, that the team with five stars on their chest remain the most likely. Just a shame they have a spoiled infant in their midst.

5:19PM

Post-match analysis

Jim White has written about the impenetrable Brazilian wall that the Mexicans could find no way through.

Have a read here. 

5:12PM

(Almost) no way through

5:09PM

Should we have seen this coming?

5:03PM

Dominant stuff

That was impressive stuff from Brazil. They haven't set the competition alight like so many of their famous World Cup predecessors, but their defence has been so incredibly solid, and their many exciting attacking players again did what was asked of them.

Mexico are a decent team but the last 16 always felt like the end of the road for them, and so it was. They struggled to break Brazil down from start to finish and as they started to commit more men forward, they left themselves susceptible at the back. That cost them.

4:52PM

Full time

That's it, then. Brazil are through to the quarter-final and this really was impressively comfortable.

Mexico started well enough but Brazil kept them at arm's length for almost the entire game and ultimately had too much going forwards. The favourites march on.

4:49PM

90 mins + 4 - Brazil 2 Mexico 0

Mexico win a free-kick which is surely a chance to load the box but they take it short and Brazil, as they have all afternoon, deal with the Mexican threat with real ease.

4:48PM

90 mins + 2 - Brazil 2 Mexico 0 

Neymar wins a free-kick in the centre circle and Guardado talks himself into the book.

He goes down again but the ref is having none of it this time and Mexico break. Lozano is put in on the right but the angle tightens very quickly and he can't get it on target.

4:46PM

90 mins - Brazil 2 Mexico 0

Six minutes added on.

Marquinhos replaces Willian for Brazil.

4:44PM

GOOOOOOOOAAAAL!!! Brazil 2 Mexico 0 (Firmino)

Fernandinho turns in midfield and spots Neymar's run out on the left. He looks offside but Mexico's defensive line is all over the place and the left-back has played him on. He bears down on goal and tries to poke between Ochoa's diving legs, but the slightest touch deflects it just away from goal, and Firmino arrives to taps in and double Brazil's lead.

Game over. 

4:42PM

87 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0  

Vela is caught offside after the second ball is crossed back into the box from the corner. 

4:41PM

85 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0

The clock is ticking and only five minutes plus added time now remain. Mexico need a complete change in fortunes if they are even to get a proper chance. They have a corner now, so that's a start.

Second Brazil sub: Firmino replaces Coutinho.

4:39PM

83 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0 

Thiago Silva is down receiving treatment after a shoulder-to-shoulder with Lozano.

Oh look, he's fine to continue. What a surprise!

4:36PM

80 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0

A first sub for Brazil: Fernandinho replaces Paulinho.

10 minutes remain for Mexico to find a goal.

4:34PM

79 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0        

Herrera sprays play out to Lozano on the left. He tries to take Thiago Silva on around the outside, but his cross rebounds back onto him and out for a goal kick.

4:32PM

77 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0        

Back to the football... but not for long.

Salcedo takes out... you guessed it... Neymar, and earns himself a yellow card.

4:30PM

75 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0

Mark Clattenburg and a few of you one Twitter think that should have been a red card. I'm not having that. Sorry.

4:29PM

74 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0       

Now then. Neymar goes down on the touchline holding the ball, and Layun goes to retrieve it to take the thrown-in. Neymar starts writhing around, looking like he is in real agony. As if he's broken his ankle or something. It's ridiculous. Look at what happened:

He trod on Neymar's ankle, by accident, and so gently. Neymar's theatrics are ludicrous,  and play is stopped for a good two minutes while everyone calms down, even though Neymar is already off the pitch for treatment. Sigh.

4:26PM

70 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0      

Herrera gets to the byline, his cross his cleared to the edge of the box but Guardado wastes it.

20 minutes remain for Mexico to find a way back into this. They look tired, though, and I don't fancy their chances, if I'm honest.

4:25PM

68 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0

Mexico have the chance to attack and with four on four Vela woefully misplaces a pass to Willian and Brazil are away. Willian exchanges passes with Jesus, charges for the corner, cuts back inside and feeds Neymar just inside the area. He swings a leg at it but doesn't get much on it and the shot trickles wide.

4:21PM

66 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0     

Guardado plays a decent reverse pass in to Lozano in the box, but he drags his low, drilled effort well wide of goal.

4:19PM

64 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0    

Willian drops a shoulder, darts onto his right foot and forces a good save from Ochoa, with the ball headed towards the top corner.

4:19PM

62 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0   

Mexico have their first shot on target of the game, and that is only the fifth that Brazil have allowed their opponents all tournament... and it's a pretty ambitious one. Vela shoot from distance. Alisson tips over.

4:16PM

60 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0  

It feels like another Brazilian goal is coming. Neymar bursts into life on the edge of the box, sliding in to Gabriel Jesus, who lays off to Neymar but a desperate lunge takes it away from his toe.

The ball only goes as far as Willian, who feeds Fagner, and his pull-back finds Paulinhom who forces a smart stop from Ochoa.

Casemiro is booked as Mexico break - and will miss Brazil's next game.

A third sub for Mexico: Raul Jimenez replaces Chicharito.

4:13PM

Brazil celebrate the goal that separate the sides

4:11PM

56 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0 

Neymar shoots over from the edge of the box.

4:11PM

55 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0

Herrera is booked for pulling back Willian after a lung-busting run half the length of the pitch.

A second sub for Mexico: Alvarez, a defender, is replaced by Jonathan dos Santos, a midfielder.

4:09PM

53 mins - Brazil 1 Mexico 0     

Good response by Mexico who go straight up the other end, and Vela almost works himself a shooting opportunity in the box, but Thiago Silva dives in to tackle. The corner comes to nothing.

4:06PM

GOOOOOOOALL! Brazil 1 Mexico 0 (Neymar)

Neymar works his way off the left flank, dummies a shot, jinks back, dummies another shot, jinks back, again and again, before eventually rolling the ball backwards and into Willian's path. The Chelsea man puts the afterburners on and drives away from three green shirts, then drills low and across Ochoa's goal. It's just out of the keeper's reach and Neymar has continued his run to slide in and put Brazil in front!

4:06PM

50 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0    

Gallardo breaks up the pitch at pace and the whole pitch opens up for him all of a sudden... He unleashes at goal, but it flies over the bar.

4:04PM

48 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0   

Big save from Ochoa, after Coutinho is allowed to dance in field and onto his right foot. He shoot low and hard at goal and Ochoa beats it away.

4:01PM

A change for Mexico

Rafael Marquez has tired. Miguel Layun comes on and goes to right-back. That means Alvarez, who is on a yellow, moves away from a position where he had to deal with Neymar.

Brazil get the second half started. Half the crowd is not yet back in their seats.

4:00PM

Something I wrote earlier...

3:47PM

Half time

An even half comes to a close, but after a very good start Mexico will be pleased to hear the half time whistle.

Brazil began slowly but grew into the game quickly after around 25 minutes. Neymar, Coutinho and Jesus all look lively, and they have had chances to put Brazil in front. 

Mexico's game plan is working so far, and they remain a threat on the break, but they visibly tired as that half wore on, and Brazil will get more chances later in this game.

3:43PM

43 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0  

Mexico again leave three men up and the clearing header launches an attack of their own. Lozano looks for Vela and he just nips in ahead of Luis, who brings the former Arsenal man down. First Brazilian yellow of the day goes to Filipe Luis.

Guardado wastes the free-kick. Alisson claims.

3:42PM

42 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0  

Mexico are getting sloppy in possession in their own half and Brazil's pressing is causing problems. Yellow swarms on green time and again, with 39-year-old Marquez one of two players guilty of giving away the ball in dangerous areas. 

Brazil launch an attack and win a corner.

3:40PM

40 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

Neymar and Filipe Luis (really?!) stand over the free-kick. 40 yards from goal, 10 yards left of centre.

Luis leaves it (of course), Neymar shoots when he should really be crossing from there. It goes three yards over the bar and Ochoa had it covered. 

3:38PM

38 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0 

First yellow card of the game and it's a predictable one. Alvarez goes in high and late on Neymar and it's a deserved caution.

3:37PM

36 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

A few moments of downtime, as both teams exchange periods of possession. It's an even game so far, but Brazil are growing into it.

3:34PM

33 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0   

Mexico survive a real scare as Coutinho pulls it back to Jesus, who dances past a couple of challenges and forces a decent save from Ochoa. The rebound is turned goalwards, too, and but Ayala is back there to clear off the line. Close.

3:29PM

30 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0   

Vela shoots from a ludicrous position out on the left. Skews it well wide. A waste.

3:28PM

27 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0  

Free-kick Brazil, Neymar whips it in. Mexico have a few chances but don't properly clear their lines. Jesus volleys back at goal, Alvarez half-clears. The ball comes back to Jesus, who crosses to Neymar at the back post. He it back for Coutinho and his drilled effort flies over the crossbar. Much, much better from Brazil.

3:26PM

26 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0 

Wonderful stuff from Neymar, who gets a few yards to run at Alvarez for the first time here. He is waiting to cut onto his right, finally does so, then swiftly switches back down the line. Ochoa comes charging off his line as Neymar shoots and he does well to block. 

3:24PM

23 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

Good work down the left by Vela, and he cuts inside onto his unfavoured right. Instead of shooting from the top corner of the area he squares for Herrera, who should for all the world shoot first time! But he dummies a shot, delays, and is crowded out.

3:21PM

21 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

21 minutes in and Brazil have touched the ball in the Mexico box for the first time. Mexico will be chuffed with this start.

3:18PM

18 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

Willian takes on Gallardo around the outside and Salcedo gets across to block the cross. 

Corner Brazil. Willian to take. Great clearing header from Marquez, and Mexico, who have left three men up field are off on the counter. Vela feeds Lozano who can't quite shake off Luis and his shot is charged down.

3:15PM

15 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0 

Lozano takes down a long ball and dribbles at Filipe Luis at pace. He twists this way and that and then drills low across goal towards Hernandez, but it is too far ahead of him and goes out for a goal kick.

3:14PM

13 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

Vela whips a wicked ball in behind the Brazil defence and Herrera has ghosted into a good position. He can't quite bring it under control but Lozano arrives behind him and wins a corner.

Replays show Herrera was a good yard offside - but linesmen have been told not to flag for close calls. Surely VAR should check that and stop it from being a corner when the linesman surely would have flagged in normal circumstances?

The corner comes to nothing anyway, so it doesn't matter, but how long until this kind of thing causes a problem?

3:11PM

11 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0   

It's been an even start, both teams showing have reason to be positive.

3:09PM

8 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0  

Lots of snapping in at the feet by both teams, which is disrupting the game a little. Brazil win a free-kick, which Neymar whips into the box and Mexico break. They will be buoyed by the luck they've had on the counter early on. Vela wins a corner taking Fagner on down the left.

Salcedo nods back into the dangerzone and Hernandez takes out Alisson trying to get to it. He is given offside anyway, but Willian, who had gone to stop the short corner, was actually playing him onside.

3:06PM

5 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0 

Neymar lets fly from 25 yards after play opens up for him. A bit of swerve troubles Ochoa, but he palms it away fairly comfortably.

3:04PM

4 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0 

A stern talking to for Edson Alvarez, after he dives in on Neymar, who is, you may not be surprised to learn, the most fouled player at the 2018 World Cup.

3:02PM

2 mins - Brazil 0 Mexico 0

An unsurprisingly direct start from Mexico, who go back from kick off and straight forward with a long punt for Guardado to chase. He can't quite get it under control, but the ball does come back out to him shortly after. He hangs a cross up to the back post, Alisson punches clear, but only as far as Lozano, whose volley is deflected wide. 

Brazil clear the corner. Good start.

3:00PM

Ready for lift-off

We're all set in Samara. Mexico get us started.

2:57PM

Plenty of noise in the stadium

Two wonderful renditions of the national anthems out of the way. Let's play ball.

2:54PM

A bad omen

Mexico have gone out in the last 16 in each of their last six World Cup appearances. 

2:45PM

An interesting stat

Brazil allowed their opponents only 19 shots in the group stage, and faced just four shots on target. Both tallies were the best of all 32 teams in the competition.

Mexico conceded 58 shots, the most in the group stage, and 20 shots on target, which was the second-most, and five times as many as Brazil.

It could be one way traffic today...

2:35PM

Mattress problems

Brazil left-back Marcelo misses out for Brazil with a back injury today that the team doctor has blamed on a soft mattress at the hotel they stayed in. Interesting.

2:28PM

You are the Var

Not really, but have a go at being one with our game. It's harder than you might think. 

2:17PM

What's going to happen? 

Why not try and foresee the future with our match predictor? 

2:07PM

How the teams will set out

The presence of Rafael Marquez in the Mexico team suggests they will be sitting very deep indeed - they won't want him to be caught in too much space against the likes of Coutinho and Neymar. I imagine they will also play quite direct when they do get the ball, hoping the pace of Vela and Hernandez will cause Brazil problems on the break.

Brazil will dominate possession, and will have to be pretty patient about breaking Mexico down.

Chicharito and a few of his team-mates will be showing off a new, bleach blonder hairstyle this afternoon.

1:52PM

Jesus

1:43PM

Those teams in a more manageable format

Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson; Fágner, Silva, Miranda, Filipe; Paulinho, Casemiro, Coutinho; Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar

Mexico (4-2-3): Ochoa; Edson, Ayala, Salcedo, Gallardo; Marquez, Herrera, Guardado; Vela, Chicharito, Lozano

1:40PM

The teams are in

Filipe Luiz comes in for the injured Marcelo.

39-year-old Rafael Marquez starts for Mexico!

1:25PM

We go again

This is the World Cup that just keeps on giving. What a group stage we had and what a weekend that followed it. Spain, Portugal and Argentina followed Germany out of the tournament and everyone in England is dreaming of football coming home.

So, if that's how we're feeling here, with little World Cup pedigree behind us and a squad that is lacking in many things - experience and midfield creativity to name a couple - imagine what they are starting to think in Brazil.

Having avoided a second round tie with Germany, Brazil now have a pretty reasonable potential path to the semi-finals, and the bookies have them as most likely champions on July 15.

However, there is plenty to do before then, not least contend with a tough match today against a very tricky Mexico side saw off Germany in their opening match and have become something of a neutrals' favourite with an attacking brand of football in Russia.

Brazil remain most likely to progress but their fans will be hopeful of an improvement in the fluency of their team's attacks. They have so, so, so many exciting players, but have thus  far failed to find anything like top gear at the World Cup.

Mexico were truly magnificent in beating Germany, but they were beaten brutally by Sweden in their final group stage match. They favour playing teams that come out to attack them, and that they can then hit on the counter. Brazil could play right into their hands.

Although Brazil have not really excited us as they might have at this World Cup, I've ben hugely impressed with their defence at this tournament. They have been functional and effective, and you can't really ask for much more than that.

I'm going for a 2-1 Brazil win today. And I'm hoping for a good game to boot.