Neymar’s late goal seals Brazil victory
Neymar, right, dropped to his knees after the final whistle, sobbing in his hands as his teammates surrounded him and lifted him off the ground. Neymar scored in stoppage time to help Brazil to a 2- 0 victory over Costa Rica. Unlike Lionel Messi and Argentina, Neymar and Brazil are in good position to reach the round of 16, with a Group E match against Serbia on Wednesday.
There can be no greater World Cup contrast than the fates of Lionel Messi and
Neymar. Two of the world’s greatest players stand at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, representing the essence of despair and revival.
The story is best told by snapshots. On Thursday, before the Argentina- Croatia game even started, Messi looked crushingly distraught. During the national anthem, a time when players tend to reveal their pride, Messi cast his eyes downward and covered his face. What followed was yet another disheartening loss for Argentina in the Messi era, raising the possibility the team won’t even get past the tournament’s first round.
Switch now to the conclusion of Brazil’s 2- 0 victory over Costa Rica on Friday, Neymar sinking to his knees. He, too, covered his face — but he was crying the tears of vindication.
For four years, since Brazil’s incomprehensible 7- 1 loss to Germany in a 2014 World Cup semifinal, Neymar has had to live with regret. He missed that match due to injury, the team was considered a national disgrace, and it would be a long road back. Foot and ankle injuries left his physical condition in doubt. Spry and intensely motivated during the Costa Rica game, he was constantly thwarted by missed chances and the rugged aggression of the Ticos’ defense.
Suddenly, in stoppage time, there was a goal by Philippe
Coutinho, the Barcelona standout whose rocket- like goal helped Brazil earn a draw with Switzerland. And then, the crowning touch: Douglas
Costa coming down the right side on a two- on- one, Neymar to his left. Costa had a clear chance to score, but in a crucial bit of generosity, he flicked it to a man who needed that goal in the worst way. In the aftermath, the Brazilians knew they were a team, in the purest sense. And Neymar let the tears flow for a good long while.
For Messi, it’s all about Tuesday — and a prayer. Nigeria’s “Super Eagles” are soaring in the wake of Friday’s 2- 0 victory over Iceland. Up next is Argentina, which needs to win that match, coupled with an Iceland draw or loss to Croatia ( if Argentina and Iceland both win, it will come down to goal differential). That’s a lot to ask from a team that appears to have completely lost faith in manager Jorge Sampaoli, who left most everyone mystified when he kept Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and rising star Paulo Dybala
( among others) out of Argentina’s starting lineup against Croatia.
For the sake of the tournament’s marquee value, it would be terrific to see Argentina squeak through. But there’s a pleasant alternative. The Nigerians are inspired, confident and a joy to watch. The Argentines resemble a bunch of strangers riding public transit at midnight.
Heartbreak elimination
Video review has been a blessing in this event. Goal- line technology was long overdue, and a number of blown penalty calls have been reversed. The latest came Friday when an apparent penalty — Giancarlo
Gonzalez on Neymar — was overturned, and here’s the key: As opposed to the American major sports, where you could whip up a tuna casserole during video reviews, only 30 seconds elapsed between referee Bjorn Kuipers’ arrival at the video monitor and his decision ... They’ll be missed in the next round: Costa Rica’s world- class goalkeeper Keylor
Navas, who had seven saves in the Brazil game and has been specatcular throughout, and Peru, widely acclaimed to have the classiest uniforms and the most inspiring national anthem. Certain misfires can linger in a player’s mind for years, and that’s likely to be the case for Peru’s Pedro Aquino, who had a shot to give his team a draw with France. So many spectacular goals are hooking things of beauty; Aquino unleashed a wicked right- footed slice from 25 yards out, just barely missing the left crossbar, in the second half ... Fox viewers have come to realize that matches begin within seconds of the start of a telecast. For those who prefer a bit of flavor — players emerging from the tunnel, then shown in close- ups during the anthems — remember to watch or tape the previous show, “World Cup Today,” for the lead- in spectacle ... There’s an ongoing debate as to whether U. S. fans, disappointed over the national team’s failure, should switch allegiance to Mexico. If passion is your thing, it’s a pretty easy choice, and has been for decades. El Tri’s historic win over Germany represented soccer at its most thrilling, a veritable textbook of counterattacking brilliance. And what a sight: the great Javier ( Chicharito)
Hernandez, exhausted and aching from defenders’ brutal takedowns, in tears with his teammates. Now comes South Korea, on Saturday, and a chance to clinch advancement.
The Warriors undoubtedly heard the claims of Gary
Trent Jr.’ s father, who played in the NBA and spent countless hours training his son to be a star. “He’s more prepared for the NBA than any kid in this draft,” said the elder Trent. “He’s a winner. You’d better not miss out.” The Warriors love Trent’s scoring ability, but they passed in Thursday night’s draft because he doesn’t measure up defensively to their first- round pick, Jacob Evans.
It says here the Warriors won’t regret taking a 6- foot- 6 forward who plays relentless defense and can hit the threepointer ... Reputations at stake: The golf world will survive
Phil Mickelson’s ridiculous episode at the U. S. Open, running around an errant putt and striking it before it came to a stop, but this is how he’s going to be viewed for a while. Watch for beer- sodden golfers at your local public course, breaking into laughter as someone “pulled a Mickelson.” ... Then there’s the Giants’ Hunter
Strickland. I’ve interviewed a lot of baseball hotheads, the likes of John Denny, Chris Sabo, Dave Kingman and Goose Gossage, and they always seemed a bit on edge. Strickland is calm and engaging in quiet moments, excellent company. But when he says, “My heart isn’t that angry,” can we believe him when the blood starts boiling?