Coutinho scores first Barça goal in Russia

Philippe Coutinho opened the FC Barcelona goalscoring account  at the 2018 World Cup Finals with an absolute screamer in the 20th minute of Sunday’s game with Switzerland. It was a typical swerved finish from the edge of the edge of the area from the Brazilian, leaving Yann Sommer in the Swiss goal with no chance.

Coutinho ended up collecting the MVP award for his performance in his country’s first game in Group E, which they share with Serbia and Costa Rica.

The five-time world champions looked outstanding early on in the game, with Barça’s other canarinha, Paulinho also coming frustratingly close with a strike that was tipped around the post by the rival goalie.

But despite being outclassed early doors, as the game progressed, the Swiss started getting more and more into game and ended up equalising – and holding on to take a surprise point off one of the big favourites to lift the trophy in Russia.