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Neymar and Brazil fail in the quarter

2022-12-09T19:27:23.794Z


A dream goal in a World Cup knockout game paves the way for many in the football history books. But Neymar failed again on the big stage, Brazil's jubilation gave way to bitter tears. Croatia celebrated a penalty déjà vu.


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He remains unfinished: Brazil's Neymar is consoled by teammate Vinícius Júnior

Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images

Not a moment for eternity:

For ten minutes, Neymar Júnior felt like the player he always wanted to be: more than a talent, a genius artist leading Brazil to success and making football history.

For his opening goal in extra time against Croatia, Neymar got the ball deep in midfield, two one-two later then rounded goalkeeper Dominik Livaković and put the ball under the bar into the goal (106th minute).

His 77th international goal, exactly the number the great Pelé had scored in his career, could have been a goal that fans in Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo would still be raving about decades from now.

If, yes, if Brazil hadn't first conceded the equalizer (116th) and then sealed their own defeat on penalties.

Neymar, the fifth shooter, wasn't even allowed to compete anymore.

The result:

4-2 (0-0, 0-1, 1-1) on penalties, Croatia beat Brazil in a World Cup quarter-final that made up for two tough hours late with Neymar's magical moment and unprecedented drama.

Read the match report here.

Schleicher and sprinter:

Those who had hoped for more jubilant choreographies after the Brazilian spectacle in the round of 16 against South Korea were bitterly disappointed.

Neither team created more than a few half-chances for the statistics in the first half, which can be taken as a compliment for the Croatian defence.

In any case, the runner-up world champion clearly exposed the weaknesses of the Seleção: Neymar, who was scolded by MagentaTV tactics man Jan Henkel for his laziness on the defensive during the break, had to pick up the balls in defensive midfield several times due to the lack of momentum.

And full-back Danilo, apparently identified by the Croatians as a predetermined breaking point, was regularly at a disadvantage against Josip Juranović in the sprint duel.

The conductor and his bodyguard:

Croatia's Luka Modrić and Brazil's Casemiro found out how it feels to have an old friend as a direct opponent this Friday evening at the Education City Stadium.

For seven years, playmaker Modric and duel Casemiro had excelled together for Real Madrid in midfield and won everything that European club football has to offer in terms of trophies at the top.

Casemiro moved to Manchester United in the summer, and now the two long-time companions should take each other out of the game.

We laughed together after a duel, and then swapped jerseys at the break as a precaution.

Heralds of heroism:

The second half started a bit sportier.

First Joško Gvardiol, who deflected a cross (47'), and then the Brazilians around Vinícius Júnior (48'), Neymar (55') and Lucas Paquetá (66') carefully warmed up Croatia's keeper Livaković.

A game for which 90 minutes seemed too much of a good thing went into overtime.

Countered:

Neymar was the first to shine there, looking to the sky for his dream goal.

But the football god didn't seem to like what he saw.

And so Brazil made the beginner's mistake of getting caught on the defensive five minutes before the end of the game when they were in the lead.

Substitute Mislav Orsić brought the ball in from the left wing, fellow wildcard Bruno Petković shot and Brazil's Marquinhos deflected an untenable deflection for Alisson.

As in the Croatian round of 16 against Japan, the decision was to be made on penalties.

The serial hero:

And the hero of the Croatian team, which is now sensationally in a World Cup semi-final for the second time in a row, was the same as a few days before: Livaković, who saved three Japanese penalties, saved Rodrygo's first attempt.

As each Croatian shooter scored, the pressure on the Brazilians grew from shooter to shooter – until Marquinhos lost his nerve and his shot from the post brought tears to the eyes of the fans in the stands.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2022-12-09

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