Mexico soars, Neymar sizzles
Print Edition
BRAZIL relied on its star Neymar for two early goals to beat Cameroon 4-1 on Monday and reach the World Cup’s knockout stage for a South American showdown against Chile, a 0-2 loser to the Netherlands.
Winning Group B with its third victory made sure that the Dutch avoided the host so early in the tournament. Instead, the Netherlands will face Mexico, which beat Croatia 3-1 to advance alongside Brazil from Group A.
Spain beat Australia 3-0 in an inconsequential game between already eliminated teams, a victory providing a little balm on the disappointing defense of its title.
With free-flowing games and buckets full of goals the rule in this tournament, it took until the final minutes of the Group A games for Brazil to make sure it advanced as group leader on goal difference over Mexico.
“We are progressing match after match and that’s important,” Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said.
Both finished on seven points, with Croatia (3 points) eliminated, while Cameroon endured three losses. Brazil finished first because it had a better goal differential than Mexico, plus 5 to plus 3.
The Netherlands was the first perfect team to advance, finishing ahead of Chile in Group B. Spain had three points after Monday’s win; Australia three losses.
Beyond the statistics, it again was Neymar who fully lived up to expectations of the 200 million football fans in Brazil with flair and lethal finishing, making the difference with first-half strikes against an African opponent that fought hard for one half before succumbing.
Neymar used an array of moves and delicate touches to get by players, delighting the crowd in Brasilia.
“I have the responsibility,” said Neymar, and at 22, he is living up to it every single time he takes to the pitch.
Neymar has four goals from three games to lead the top scorer’s standings, edging a group of five players with three goals.
With everything to play for, Mexico came through with three goals in a 10-minute spurt of excitement late in the game against Croatia. Captain Rafael Marquez, Andres Guardado and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez found the net for Mexico.
The Dutch scored twice in the last 13 minutes — through substitutes Leroy Fer and Memphis Depay — against Chile to finish the group stage with three wins. The Dutch have scored 10 goals. Now, only the foolhardy would relish the prospect of facing the orange-clad team.
“We wanted to be first in the group. Now we will see what is coming at us,” said midfielder Arjen Robben, who added an assist against Chile to the three goals he scored in earlier games.
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