Brazil, Neymar bounce back, break through into win column
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — After more than 90 minutes of aggravation and exasperation, Neymar and Brazil finally broke through Costa Rica’s smothering defence.
Philippe Coutinho scored in the first minute of stoppage time, and Neymar followed six minutes later to give Brazil a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on Friday at the World Cup.
Unlike Argentina and Lionel Messi, Brazil is still in a good position to advance to the round of 16. Costa Rica has been eliminated.
“The responsibility is huge when you are playing for the national team,” Coutinho said through a translator. “You have to be mentally strong from the beginning until the end. We fought until the end and we were rewarded.”
Neymar dropped to his knees after the final whistle, sobbing in his hands as his teammates surrounded him and then lifted him off the ground.
“We know he had a difficult injury, he went through a very bad patch,” Coutinho said, referring to Neymar breaking a bone in his right foot four months ago. “But his joy at being on the pitch is contagious.”
A few minutes before the end, Neymar flopped backward to initially earn a penalty, but the contact was so exaggerated that the referee reversed the call with video review. Neymar then angrily punched the ball a short time later as Costa Rica’s players tried to waste time. It earned Brazil’s biggest star a yellow card.
Neymar seemed panicked for most of the second half as his shots sailed over the bar or simply missed the mark.
In danger of ending in a draw, Brazil seemed nervous but composed itself through the seven minutes of injury time.
Coutinho was first to get the ball past goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Rising superbly to meet a header from Marcelo’s cross, Roberto Firmino nodded the ball down to striker Gabriel Jesus, who then flicked it to a sprinting Coutinho in the penalty area.
In the seventh minute of injury time, Douglas Costa whipped in a cross from the right and Neymar deftly tapped it into the net.
Both Firmino and Costa had come on as substitutes in the second half.
“I think Brazil’s changes made an impact,” Costa Rica coach Oscar Ramirez said. “It became very difficult for us.”
Brazil has four points in Group E and plays Serbia in its final match in Moscow on Wednesday. Costa Rica has zero points and cannot advance.
In Brazil’s opening 1-1 draw against Switzerland, Neymar had been fouled 10 times, sometimes harshly.
But he was also in theatrical mode against Costa Rica, tumbling over dramatically when touched. Referee Bjorn Kuipers twice waved away Neymar’s claims for fouls in the first half.
GROUP DYNAMICS
The match between Brazil and Serbia in Moscow on Wednesday could yet determine which teams finish in first and second place in Group E.
Costa Rica will play Switzerland on Wednesday in its final group match.
SERIOUS STATS
With his 56th international goal, Neymar is now one ahead of Romario — which could be a useful omen for Brazil. Romario was the team’s top striker when Brazil won the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Neymar is third on Brazil’s all-time scorers’ list, behind Pele (77) and Ronaldo (62).
WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT GROUP A
Russia and Uruguay have clinched berths in the round of 16, and play each other Monday to determine who wins the group. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have both been eliminated.
GROUP B
Morocco has been eliminated, leaving Portugal and Spain (four points each) and Iran (three) to compete for two spots. Spain plays Morocco on Monday, when Portugal meets Iran.
GROUP C
France has advanced and leads with six points. Denmark is second with four after a 1-1 draw against Australia, which has one point. Peru has been eliminated. Denmark plays France on Tuesday, when Australia takes on Peru.
GROUP D
Croatia has secured a trip to the second round and tops the group with six points. Argentina got some help Friday when Nigeria beat Iceland 2-0. Nigeria (three points) will advance with a win over Argentina (one point) on Tuesday, when Iceland plays Croatia. But Iceland (one point) or the last-place Argentines could survive with a win and a Nigeria loss or tie, depending on goal difference.
GROUP E
Thanks to Friday’s victory, Brazil (four points) vaulted from a precarious position to the brink of qualifying for the knockout stage. That 2-0 win also eliminated Costa Rica. Switzerland (four points) pulled off a 2-1 comeback win over Serbia (three points), leaving three teams bunched together, all with a chance to advance but with only two spots to be had. Serbia meets Brazil on Wednesday at the same time Switzerland plays Costa Rica.