After losing to Croatia in a 4-2 penalty shootout at the Education City Stadium in Doha on a dramatic night, Brazil was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup.
Neymar, Brazil’s star forward, appeared to have given his team a 1-0 lead just before halftime of extra time in Qatar when he scored after starting and finishing a complex passing play to shoot past Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
The goal matched Brazilian icon Pele’s record total of 77 goals for the country, but Bruno Petkovic’s dramatic late goal means the Paris Saint-Germain striker will have to wait a bit to surpass it.
The goal matched Brazilian icon Pele’s record total of 77 goals for the national side, but Bruno Petkovic’s dramatic late equaliser forced a spot-kick shootout, meaning the Paris Saint-Germain striker will have to wait a while to surpass Pele’s total.
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As Marquinhos missed the vital penalty to condemn Brazil to World Cup agony and send Croatia back into the semifinals, it was the Croats who stood their ground there.
It may be argued that Croatia hardly earned it.
Even though Brazil’s star-studded team dominated possession in the last period of regulation time, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances.
Croatia, who lost in the finals four years ago in Moscow, played tough defence the entire game. Dejan Lovren, a standout defender for Zenit St. Petersburg, and the highly regarded Josko Gvardiol formed an amazing partnership in front of Livakovic’s goal.
But when Neymar’s moment of magic delighted the throngs of yellow shirts in the stadium with his spectacular finish, it seemed as though their efforts had been for nothing.
Luka Modric kept Croatia motivated throughout the game, and when Petkovic levelled the score to force a penalty shootout, Croatia finally achieved the victory their efforts had been waiting for.
The great Livakovic denied Rodrygo when he went up first, which set the tone for the rest of the shootout.
As the pressure mounted due to Croatia’s flawless play, Marquinhos’ crucial penalty rebounded off the post, ending Brazil’s hopes of winning a sixth World Cup.
Croatia’s extraordinary streak in World Cup penalty shootouts — which has seen them defeat Denmark, Russia, Japan, and now Brazil in both the current and previous tournaments — continues.
While Neymar’s record-tying goal will be recorded in the history books, the PSG star’s tears imply that it will be little more than a hollow honour on one of the worst evenings of his career.
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