Neymar leads Brazil past Mexico for quarterfinal spot
SAMARA, Russia – Flaunting his flair and his finishing touch wasn’t enough. Neymar put his theatrics on show, too.
What became clear in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Mexico on Monday is that the wild side of the striker’s character is going nowhere at this year’s World Cup. And neither is Brazil.
“I don’t much care for criticism,” Neymar said, “not even for praise.”
With a goal and an assist, Neymar propelled Brazil into the quarterfinals of a tournament it has won five times. He also extended his platform to show the world he is as good – or better – than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Although Neymar has scored only two goals in four games in Russia, he did enter the World Cup after spending three months recovering from a broken right foot. And it was the right foot that helped to break through Mexico’s stern resistance in Samara.
After releasing Willian with a backheel, Neymar raced into the penalty area and slid to tap his teammate’s return cross into the net.
While his scoring is so often the focus, Neymar also creates goals for his teammates. A toe-poked attempt to beat Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in the 88th minute was diverted into the path of Roberto Firmino, who scored with a tap-in just like Neymar did.
The world’s most expensive player has 11 goals and nine assists in his last 19 games for Brazil.
But before setting up the second goal it looked like Neymar’s game – or even his World Cup – could be over with 20 minutes to go. It turned out to be pure histrionics. Writhing in agony after his right ankle was stepped on by Miguel Layun, Neymar managed to get back on his feet. But not before trying to step on Layun.
Both escaped punishment, but the judgment elsewhere was less forgiving, with Neymar asked after the match if he was a diva trying to draw fouls.
“I think it’s more an attempt to undermine me than anything else,” Neymar responded.
Belgium 3, Japan 2
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia – Jan Vertonghen started Belgium’s comeback with a wild, looping header and Nacer Chaldi capped it by finishing off a 10second, end-to-end attack in the final moments. It added up to a 3-2 victory over Japan on Monday that gave the Belgians a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals for the second straight tournament.
Trailing 2-0, Vertonghen scored with a header in the 69th minute that appeared to be a cross but somehow dropped in under the bar. Substitute Marouane Fellaini headed in another from Eden Hazard’s cross in the 74th.
Chaldi, who came on as a substitute in the 65th, decided it with virtually the last kick of the game in the fourth minute of injury time.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibault Courtois grabbed a corner kick and rolled the ball to Kevin De Bruyne, who dribbled to the top of the center circle and passed to Thomas Meunier on the right.
Meunier one-timed the ball across the area and Romelu Lukaku let it roll by for Chaldi to tap in with his left foot from 7 yards.