Problematic

Listening to the radio or reading the paper, you would imagine Brazil is in one of its worst crisis for some time. No, not the allegations that the supposedly whiter-than-white Workers Party was making monthly payments to allied congressmen in different parties to secure votes (and which the president either didn’t know about or turned a blind eye depending on your reading).

No, it was Brazil’s defeat to Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers, by 3-1. Argentina have now qualified while the World Cup holders will have to graft out a few more points before they can secure their spot. Brazil’s performance was poor though: two goals down by half time and never really looking like a serious opposition.