PHIL GOOD FACTOR
Normal service resumed as Coutinho saves Brazil’s blushes and gets their World Cup party started
MADE in the Premier League, finished in Barcelona.
Philippe Coutinho finally gave Brazil’s World Cup bid lift-off here with his second goal in as many matches.
He left it late, but they won’t care. The five-time winners are once again masters of their Group E destiny, and for that they have their 26-yearold from Rio to thank.
There was a familiar ring to his strike in the first minute of injury time. Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino headed into the box, Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus helped the ball on and Coutinho arrived late to smash it low into the back of the net.
The former Anfield schemer, who quit for La Liga in January, was already well on his way to becoming an A-lister before this.
Today he is the darling of his country. The rising star coming of age in a Brazil shirt.
Yes, Neymar put the icing on the cake with the second soon afterwards. He then sat down to cry at the final whistle to try to make it all about him.
It was Coutinho, though, whose priceless strike had made the breakthrough. Just as it was Coutinho who had netted with that trademark, curling effort against the Switzerland. And it was Coutinho who sparked the celebrations here for an anxious nation.
They had been on the edge of their seats – both here in St Petersburg and back home in Brazil – fearing they would be left joining Argentina in departures next week.
For 90 minutes the Costa Ricans were dogged, disciplined and determined, with Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas an impressive last line of defence.
Then, during the first of the six minutes of injury time, they were pierced. A sea of yellow erupted in the Zenit Arena.
The Brazil subs and their coaching staff raced down the touchline to the corner flag as Coutinho was buried under a mountain of bodies. They were off and running. By the time Neymar had added that second, six minutes later, Costa Rica were done. With their defence completely exposed, Douglas Costa
crossed and Neymar volleyed home from close range. Brazil coach Tite had brought his squad here to Russia to exorcise the ghosts of their failure at their home tournament four years ago.
Yet the Swiss stood up to be counted last weekend while Costa Rica’s organisation and efficiency saw them hold firm in the face of the five-time winners’ firepower.
Jesus hit the crossbar from Fagner’s cross four minutes after half-time. Coutinho had a goalbound effort from the rebound blocked.
Seven minutes later Navas palmed over Neymar’s first-time strike then set himself quickly to get down and
smother Coutinho’s effort. In the 71st minute came the best use of VAR we have seen at this World Cup. Neymar, who had been going down if an opponent so much as breathed on him, theatrically tumbled after a hand on the chest from Giancarlo Gonzalez.
Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot before being urged to check the VAR. He realised he had been conned and chalked it off.
Perhaps there is hope for the system after all. As the clock ran down the Costa Ricans went down, trying waste some time. It served only to halt their own momentum, as they could not respond once Brazil scored. It is over for them, but Brazil fans are getting the party started.