One of the few missing ingredients at this most enthralling of World Cups had been a Brazil side in full flow; on Monday, the host nation finally delivered.
But for all the mesmerising, Neymar-inspired attacking brilliance on display in beating Cameroon 4-1, question marks remain over their hopes of lifting a title they view as a birthright.
This is a tournament that Brazil have repeatedly and unashamedly stated they expect to win - from supporters to pundits and players to staff, a home triumph is the minimum expectation.
Were that not enough, they intend to do it in a style befitting their footballing ethos and tradition, succeeding where their predecessors so painfully failed on home soil in 1950.
Not even below-par performances in their opening two Group A matches - an unconvincing 3-1 victory over Croatia and 0-0 draw against Mexico - altered that demand.
One of the few missing ingredients at this most enthralling of World Cups had been a Brazil side in full flow; on Monday, the host nation finally delivered.
But for all the mesmerising, Neymar-inspired attacking brilliance on display in beating Cameroon 4-1, question marks remain over their hopes of lifting a title they view as a birthright.
This is a tournament that Brazil have repeatedly and unashamedly stated they expect to win - from supporters to pundits and players to staff, a home triumph is the minimum expectation.
Were that not enough, they intend to do it in a style befitting their footballing ethos and tradition, succeeding where their predecessors so painfully failed on home soil in 1950.
Not even below-par performances in their opening two Group A matches - an unconvincing 3-1 victory over Croatia and 0-0 draw against Mexico - altered that demand.
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