Croatia and Brazil came together in a new pairing to decide the third quarterfinal of the tournament. Not without trouble for the Europeans, via penalties, and through a walk for the Americans, who dispatched South Korea with two goals in 15 minutes, four in 36 minutes, so that the drums began to beat without ceasing. Until Friday, the day of mourning, at the earliest.
And Tite also danced.#LaCasadelFútbol #GolMundial pic.twitter.com/fJahq8fJPr
— Soccer in Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) December 5, 2022
The uneven balance of results in their clashes (six wins and a draw for Brazil, with a 1-5 loss in Seoul in June) had its immediate translation onto the pitch, as if the South Koreans had been flattened. Misfortune accentuated their fears, mercilessly beaten in each Brazilian attempt. The statistics came to mark a 4-3 in shots on goal, but what the result reproduced was a resounding 4-0.
The five minutes added to the first half corresponded only to the extensive Brazilian celebrations. First, setting up a collective circle, from which only Alisson was excluded; later with smaller choreographies, then thanks to God that you are on high, when there was no hug to an injured man (Sevilla’s Alex Telles) or a request to Tite for him to start dancing. As if they had not scored a goal in their entire lives. It is true that they only celebrated three in three league games, and last night they were stuffed with four before the end of the first half.
There could not have been a better farewell to the most ephemeral stadium in history. The field of containers was inaugurated with a sad 0-0 in Mexico-Poland, the seventh game closed with the festival of the five-time champion, a stream of light and color and goals to shine the colorful metallic rectangles that have configured a stadium. Nothing cheesy, by the way.
✈️ Alisson 737. #GolMundial #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/YF2YKlhKDv
— Soccer in Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) December 5, 2022
However, the 974 was not filled despite the fact that one of the favorites was playing, which offered an unexpected but festive closing ceremony: 43,847 people, presumably, out of a capacity of 44,089. Makeup numbers.
Alisson denies hope
Unexpected because Brazil was not fine in attack until the explosion against Korea. Alisson made two saves that denied her the possibility of re-engaging in the game, at least to keep the option of staying alive, but his lack of defensive aggressiveness buried her.
???? Brazil dances to the rhythm of Vinicius. #GolMundial #LaCasaDelFútbolpic.twitter.com/pYt2kifqq2
— Soccer in Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) December 5, 2022
Son Heung-Min shot wide at the start of the second half, but it would only have repaired South Korea’s honour. They did not stop trying, surely after the row that must have fallen on them from the vehement Paulo Bento.
The spectacular finesse of Brazilian marksmanship did not have so much to do with Neymar’s reappearance as with the South Korean concessions, which is leaving the World Cup hand in hand with Japan. The Brazilian number 10 scored from penalties (two converted against Korea in June) and placed one goal behind Pelé in the national team: 77 in 92 games for the star to whom everyone prays today, 76 in 123 for the star in whom everyone trusts. Neymar, with his seventh goal in the World Cups, is still a long way from Ronaldo’s 15.
Pele banner
They remembered Pelé, at the end, with a banner in the center of the field and the image of the legendary 10, three-time world champion, celebrating a goal in the 1970 World Cup.
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In the second half, Brazil lost its perfect success rate (Raphinha, who had created Vinicius’s goal, missed the fifth shot with his right foot in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper) and much of the initial discipline in the withdrawal, when the A defensive 4-3-3 became a 4-4-2 with Raphinha and Vinicius dropping back and freeing Neymar from defensive servitude.
Korea’s good plan of attack, useless due to their lousy defensive device, and also their pride ended up dominating the game. Paik Seungho scored too late, that old value that arrived at Barça’s Masia, before Tite, who had brought on Alves, provided the debut of the third goalkeeper, Weverton, to satisfy the 26-man squad.