Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool midfielder scores for Brazil in World Cup qualifier
Last updated on .From the section Football
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho scored on his first appearance of the season as Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
The 25-year-old has missed the start of the Reds' campaign with a back injury amid interest from Barcelona.
Liverpool have rejected three Barca bids, the latest in the region of £114m, with the transfer window in Spain to close later on Friday.
Coutinho combined with Gabriel Jesus to add Brazil's second goal.
After Coutinho sent a clever lobbed pass into Jesus' path, the Manchester City forward bravely headed back across goal for Coutinho to slot in.
Barcelona's new midfielder Paulinho, formerly of Tottenham, had put Brazil 1-0 up.
Brazil have already qualified for next summer's World Cup in Russia, and they lead the South American standings by 11 points from Colombia.
Argentina are currently fifth in the 10-team qualification standings with three matches remaining, which would only earn them a play-off place.
Lionel Messi's side played out a 0-0 draw in Uruguay during which Barca's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez limped off with eight minutes left.
The 30-year-old later tweeted that he was "OK" and had only been suffering from "muscle cramps".
Before the match, Suarez and Barca team-mate Messi posed for photos in special kits promoting a pan South-American bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Earlier on Thursday, Paraguay's president said the country was joining with Argentina and Uruguay to bid for the tournament, with Chile also reportedly set to join.
In June, European football's governing body Uefa said it would "strongly support" either a pan-British or an English bid to host in 2030.
A joint bid from the United States, Mexico and Canada is the favourite to win hosting rights for the 2026 tournament, with Morocco the only other candidate so far.
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I know they are not totally blameless regards Van Dijk but are any of our clubs 100% clean?
It's a shame Coutinho has let himself down. Let's see how he responds to staying.
What a recovery!
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Just now
Not what I've heard from a lot of Liverpool fans.
I don't think the rest of the Premier League cares either way. They will score goals regardless, it's the leaky defence that hasn't been addressed that will be Liverpool's undoing.
Utd < city?
forbes and deloitte & touche disagree
Utd bigger in every way than city
5 times is typical of ALL lfc fans (only argument up their sleeve)
lfc are a pot 3 team in 2017 (after qualifying)
I just looked at the history books for season 2016/17
League Winners: Chelsea
League Cup Winners: Manchester United
Fa Cup Winners: Arsenal
Charity Shield Winners: Manchester United
Champions League Winners: Real Madrid
Europa League Winners: Manchester United
The recurring theme was "winners".
Liverpool were no where to be seen.
As if they're sent from god or something.
If they could have intercourse with themselves I have no doubt they would.
Rooney does it a lot. Runs and puts his hands out as if hes christ the redeemer.
Ronaldo was worth the money and makes coutino look like Ian Ormondroyd
He wanted to join Real and did without Utd fans going on about 1968 and the olden days before mobiles were YUPPIE toys
The biggest club in any country has the most league titles!
Utd have won more trophies than Real since 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's still a Liverpool player I would dock his wages obviously lies about a back injury. He was also a inter Milan reject when Liverpool signed him
SAF failed to knock us off the European perch!
Moyes Ha Ha Ha!
LVG He He He!
Borinho 6th (Ha Ha Ha) with (hee Hee Hee) the MOST EXPENSIVE SQUAD EVER ASSEMBLED!!!!!!
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Souness, Roy Evans, Houllier, FSW, The Owl, Bodgers, all management greats who won the title every year for Liverpool. The above comment isn't misguided in the least, oh no.
He'll find it hard to get back into our starting XI though, the consequence of having his head turned. This is the modern age, so he'll either have to suck it up & fight for his place, or sulk & train with the kids during a WC year.