Streetwise Belgium serve up more Neymar heartbreak
As the final whistle blew after an enthralling encounter between two of the best sides in world football, the most expensive player in history sank to his haunches, head in hands, as if contemplating what he and Brazil must do to win the World Cup.
Neymar was missing, injured, four years ago when Brazil’s dreams of becoming world champions were shot down in flames by Germany, whose 7-1 semi-final win in Belo Horizonte scarred a nation, not just a football team.
This time Neymar battled for more than three months to be back from a broken foot in time to lead his country to glory, which looked more and more likely as this most unpredictable of tournaments dispensed of one football power after another.
Germany did not get out of the group stages, Argentina, Spain and Portugal fell at the first knockout hurdle, and Brazil’s odds shortened. Already pre-tournament favourites, they went into this quarter-final in Kazan as hot favourites to lift the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
But they did not reckon with Belgium and their outstanding keeper Thibaut Courtois, who kept the Brazilians at bay with a string of fine saves.
The Chelsea keeper was in one of those ‘they-shall-not-pass’ moods, and even after substitute Renato Augusto headed a late goal to give Brazil a glimmer of hope, Courtois was defiant, with a brilliant tip-over to deny Neymar an equaliser in stoppage time.
And it was not only Courtois that Roberto Martinez has to thank for setting up a semi-final against France in St Petersburg next Tuesday. The Belgian defence had a block or tackle for everything Neymar and Co threw at them, as Brazil dominated possession and chances but were inferior when it came to the most important part of the game – putting the ball into the opposition net.
Fernandinho got it half right when he glanced the ball home in the 13th minute, but it was past his own goalkeeper Allison, to give Belgium the lead, that was doubled after half-an-hour when Kevin de Bruyne scored a brilliant breakaway goal.
Yet to suggest Belgium had the upper hand in the first-half would be misleading, despite the 2-0 scoreline. Brazil had started at a cracking pace, as if determined to put the skids under Belgium’s ageing back three of Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen. The trio may not be the youngest or quickest of defenders at this World Cup, but they are streetwise, experienced, canny.
They were ably assisted by the midfielders in front of them, Axel Wisel and Marouane Fellaini, brought in to replace Dries Mertens after the Manchester United man played such a big part – literally — as substitute when Belgium recovered from 2-0 down to beat Japan 3-2 in the last 16.
Nacer Chadli had scored the winner in that game and his reward was to oust Yannick Carrasco on the left of Belgium’s midfield. The bigger benefit to Belgium was that these moves allowed Eden Hazard to rove and De Bruyne to play farther up the pitch, where he can do more damage.
Sure enough, after seeing off an early flurry of half-chances from Brazilian corners, Belgium took the lead from one of their own. Chadli swung the ball in from the left, Kompany’s header sent it towards goal, but Fernandinho’s shoulder took it away from Allison and into the net.
The Brazilians were stunned, but it was about to get worse. Defending an attack, the ball fell to Chadli, who shuttled it quickly to Romelu Lukaku. The big man’s run from his own half deep into Brazil’s was ungainly, and he stumbled, but not before slipping the ball to De Bruyne.
The Manchester City man drove forward, forcing Marcelo to twist and turn and then unleashed a low rocket that flew into the far corner of goal.
It was a sublime moment of quality from De Bruyne, yet he was strangely subdued for the rest of the game, detached from the bulk of the action that was taking place in Belgium’s defensive third.
But revelling in it all, and starring was Courtois, who produced a string of fine saves. Having been saved by the post in the eighth minute when the ball flew off Thiago Silva’s torso, Courtois then was in control of his – and Belgium’s destiny.
He was thankful to see Gabriel Jesus head wide from a good position, but then saved Philippe Coutinho’s curling effort brilliantly before half-time.
After the break he denied substitute Douglas Costa twice, and having saved well from Neymar in the first-half, then denied the Brazilian again. Coutinho set up Augusto’s header with a brilliant chip forward, but then missed a sitter when Neymar set him up.
And in the dying seconds, as Neymar looked to curl one in the top corner to keep Brazil in the cup, Courtois extended himself to full stretch to tip the ball over.
It was game over for Brazil, heartbreak for a nation all over again, and more contemplation for Neymar, about his club future and whether he can ever take his country back to the top again.
Alisson 6; Fagner 6, Thiago Silva 6, Miranda 6, Marcelo 7; Paulinho 6, Fernandinho 6, Coutinho 7; Willian 6, Jesus 5, Neymar 7.
Firminho for Willian 46, D Costa for Jesus 58, Augusto for Paulinho 73
Courtois 9; Alderweireld 8, Kompany 8, Vertonghen 7; Meunier 6, Fellaini 7, Witsel 6, Chadli 6; De Bruyne 7, R.Lukaku 7, E.Hazard 7
Vermaelen for Chadli 83 Tielemans for Lukaku 87
Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
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