The game was Neymar’s first in three months but he was instrumental throughout, setting up Casemiro’s goal before scoring the equalizer himself after the Colombians turned the game on its head in the first half.
Neymar has not been selected for any of Paris Saint Germain’s first three league games of the season as he was linked with a return to Barcelona in the summer transfer window but that move failed to materialize and he will staying put at the French champions for the time being.
Speaking after the game, Tite expressed surprise at Neymar’s impressive outing but admitted he was tempted at substituting him in the course of the match.
"I said, 'I'll take him off' for the sake of physical preservation," Tite told reporters after the game.
"But I saw that his physical responses were strong, intense, and coordinated. I could see him growing.
"As the end of the game approached he produced more and more. He keeps his technique light and creates space. He was above my expectation."
"We talked yesterday about monitoring the performance of Neymar from 45 minutes," he added.
"A player starts thinking and cannot perform [when fatigued]. But he was thinking and performing. It surprised me."
Neymar’s goal against Colombia means he is just one goal shy of matching the legendary Ronaldo’s tally of 68 goals for the Brazilian national team.
