Al Rayyan, Qatar: Brazil are going house empty handed after they suffered one more heartbreaking World Cup exit to a European rival– and the quarter-final defeat by Croatia will harm as they let victory slip by their fingers simply three minutes from the ultimate whistle.
When Neymar put the South Individuals forward with a spectacular effort within the first half of additional time, Brazilian followers everywhere in the world had been left rejoicing.
Nonetheless, with the semi-final showdown with both Argentina or the Netherlands looming, Tite’s males let their guards down and allowed Croatia to attain an equaliser from a counter-attack with three minutes left in extra-time.
After wanting excellent of their 4-1 win towards South Korea of their last-16 match, they’d a tough time breaking the impasse towards Croatia on Friday.
Nonetheless, a second of magic from Neymar during which he penetrated an unbreakable Croatian wall following an excellent one-two trade together with his crew mate culminated in him scoring one of many objectives of the event — an effort which drew him stage with Pele’s Brazilian file of 77 objectives.
It was a purpose that may most likely have made the good Pele, who’s is battling most cancers in a Sao Paulo hospital, proud. It appeared like the tip of a 20-year curse, with Brazil having gained the final of their file 5 World Cup titles in 2002.
After being knocked out in 2006 by France, 2010 by the Netherlands, struggling a 7-1 semi-final humilliation on house soil by Germany in 2014 and being overwhelmed by Belgium 4 years later, Brazil had been on the verge of proving to themselves that they as soon as once more possessed the mindset to beat their European rivals on the most important stage.
They had been profitable 1-0. Three minutes from time. And as a substitute of maintaining possession and counting down the clock, they aggressively went on the assault and saved their defence unguarded.
Luka Modric capitalised on this opening and linked up together with his crew mates because the Croatians took benefit of their one and solely shot heading in the right direction to stretch the sport into penalties.
As a shirtless Bruno Petkovic celebrated his inconceivable purpose, the group appeared surprised whereas the stadium’s large screens replayed the motion exhibiting 4 Brazilian gamers nonetheless in Croatia’s half when the substitute striker scored.
An unforgivable tactical and psychological breakdown ended up costing them the win that they’d fought resiliently to realize all through the match.
Ultimately, the shock of conceding the late equaliser proved an excessive amount of for Brazil’s surprised gamers who merely crumbled within the shootout. Dominik Livakovic made extra saves towards Brazil on Friday than the Brazilian goalkeepers had in whole in the whole competitors.
Brazil had been true to their id even when Croatia appeared to be snug sitting again and letting their rivals flow into the ball round their field. Tite saved his five-man up-front ways for the whole match and managed to carry Croatia with no shot heading in the right direction for 117 minutes.
Friday’s defeat shall be a tricky one to swallow as in many individuals’s eyes– it boils down to 1 infantile mistake when victory was inside Brazil’s grasp.