Brazil survived a scare to beat the Costa Ricans 2-0 and send them packing from World Cup 2018. Late goals from Philippe Coutinho (90 + 1') and Neymar (90 + 7') secured an important victory in the group E match, at St Petersburg, Russia.
Costa Rica defended resolutely but Brazil stepped up in the final minutes to put the match beyond them. It was a story of two halves—the first was an insipid one, while the second was played out at break-neck speed.
Brazil started promisingly, with Coutinho blasting one from outside the area in the third minute, but could not replicate his goal in the first match against Switzerland. Brazil dominated possession and used it well to win a free-kick in a dangerous position in the ninth minute. But Neymar chose to pass and it was defended well by Costa Rica. The Latin Americans got a golden chance in 13th minute but midfielder Celso Borges fired wide from near the penalty spot.
Another good Neymar delivery from a free-kick was defended well by Costa Rica in the 17th minute. Brazilian players were fouled six times in the first 20 minutes of the game. Brazil had 70 per cent of the possession till then, but Costa Rica looked sharp on the counter-attack.
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Gabriel Jesus smashed one into the net in the 26th minute, but was called off-side. Neymar got behind the Costa Rican defence in the very next minute, but he failed to control the high ball with his first touch and Keylor Navas charged out to deny him a goal. Marcelo put one just wide in the 28th minute. Brazil found their groove but found it difficult to register a shot on target.
Brazil continued their domination. However, Costa Rica defended brilliantly and still looked dangerous on the counter. But they lacked quality in the final third. Brazil won their first corner in the 38th minute, but it was again defended comfortably. Marcelo’s right-footer from the edge of the box in the 41st minute was the game’s first shot on target.
Brazil had a long spell of possession just before half-time, but it came to nothing as Costa Rica stood firm. Costa Rica won a free-kick in the one minute of additional time. But it sailed over, and that is how the half ended.
Brazil brought on Douglas Costa for the lacklustre Willian in the second-half. Brazil stepped up their game with Jesus rattling the crossbar and Neymar and Coutinho testing Navas within the first 15 minutes of the half. A good break by Brazil in the 60th minute saw Neymar putting substitute Costa through, but the winger failed to control the ball. Though he regained possession, Jesus’s shot, following a few step overs, was blocked by a defender.
Roberto Firmino came on for Paulinho in the 68th minute as Brazil went all out, with a change in formation. Brazil were now playing with two up front—Jesus and Firmino. The Selecao were mixing it up, attacking from both flanks. A Casemiro header in the 70th minute was saved comfortably by Navas. Neymar got a great chance in the 72nd minute, but, put his curled effort just wide. Another good attack led to a cheeky effort by Neymar trying to put it through the legs of the defender in the 75th minute, but it was deflected for a corner.
In the 78th minute, a brilliant attack from Brazil saw Neymar cutting in past a defender, being pushed and getting a penalty. However, it was overturned by the Video Assistant Referee. The frustration was getting to the Brazilians and it showed as Neymar and Coutinho both got yellow cards as the game moved into the latter stages. Wave after wave of Brazilian attack stretched the Costa Rican defence but Navas was equal to the task.
The breakthrough came in the first of the six minutes of stoppage time. Firmino won a header in the box, Jesus got a touch on it which put the ball into a charging Coutinho’s path. The Barcelona midfielder poked it home for his second goal of the World Cup. Firmino then missed a great chance to increase the lead as he blasted over following some beautiful football by Brazil.
Neymar got a well-deserved goal with almost the last kick of the game as he turned in Costa’s weighted pass from close range. He was in tears after the game, and it showed how much the win and the goal mattered to him.
The victory sees Brazil go top of the group with four points. They had 69 per cent of the possession, 23 shots and a stunning 652 completed passes compared to Costa Rica’s 190.
Switzerland will play Serbia later tonight. The two-goal margin could be important in what is turning into a very tight group.