Tears for Brazil, joy for Argentina

By Anmar Goodridge- Boyce

Brazil is out. The five-time champions, billed as the favourites to lift the most coveted trophy in world football for a record sixth time will have to wait another four years, after they were knocked out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar by Croatia, following a penalty shoot at Education City.

After a goalless encounter for 90 minutes, Neymar scored the opener and what seemed to be the winner in the 105th minute of extra-time, with a near-post finish from inside the box, to enter Brazilian football history books by equaling the legendary Pele’s record of 77 international goals for the South American powerhouses.

However, Croatia had other plans. Patience was the name of their game and after playing 115 minutes of resolute defending, absorbing pressure and counter attacking football, substitute Bruno Petkovic produced the equaliser a minute later with a sweeping finish with his nation’s first shot on target to send the match into a nerve-wrecking shootout.

Croatia, the runners-up four years ago in Russia, bagged all four of their penalties, meantime, Rodrygo was saved by Dominik Livakovic in Brazil’s first penalty while Marquinhos hit the post in the fourth attempt, signaling the end of Brazil’s dream.

Neymar entered the iconic hall of fame for Brazil when he scored in the first half of extra time but it wasn’t enough to propel his team to the semi-final.

When Marquinhos missed, it was heartbreak for Brazil and their players slumped to the turf with star player Neymar and many others reduced to tears.

In contrast, Croatian players were elated and jumped for joy as their dream of winning the World Cup remains alive.

Brazil was out of their comfort zone and once Croatia kept the score at 0-0 for a long period of the encounter, it was always going to be problems for the Samba Kings.

Croatia players are specialists at penalty shoot-outs and have now won twice in the group stage of the 2022 edition and four at the World Cup.

This wasn’t supposed to happen though, Brazil were expected to go through especially after an impressive 4-1 victory over Switzerland in the Round of 16.

Barbados and the world believed Brazil would dance their way to the semifinal and then eventually to the final but their hopes were dashed in a brutal way.

Neymar scored and there were sighs of relief around, a burden was lifted off the shoulders of the fans. It wasn’t a perfect match but through Neymar, Brazil had found the spark they desperately needed. But in order to surpass Pele’s record, Neymar will have to do it at his next international tournament as his time in Qatar came to a dreadful end.

This surely wasn’t the script, Brazil last won the World Cup in 2002 but since then, European nations have haunted them but this is now the fifth consecutive time a team from that continent eliminated them from the tournament.

It just wasn’t to be Neymar’s time to be the hero for his country although he almost was. It should have been, all the headlines must have been printed with picture and name in bold.  He should have won it in extra time before having to watch on as he waited to be the last penalty taker for Brazil but the shoot-out came to an agonizing end before he could kick.

Credit must be given to Croatia, in the end they deserve to be advancing in the competition. A well drilled unit, organized and their goal keeper Livakovic, made 11 saves in the game, the most by a custodian at this tournament.

On a day of incredible drama, Emiliano Martinez saved two penalties as Argentina defeated the Netherlands to set up a semifinal against Croatia in a tension filled match. The Argentines were in dream land when Nahuel Molina scored the opener and Lionel Messi converted from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute. Nevertheless, substitute Wout Weghorst netted twice to send the match into extra time, including a clever finish from a textbook freekick with the final strike of the game in regular time. But in the end, Argentina marched on and Messi’s dream of winning the World Cup remains alive.