Neymar and Brazil get it done, at the end. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)
Brazil 2, Costa Rica 0
Group E, St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg
Well, that was something. Brazil had a shot hit the post. It had a penalty shot awarded and then un-awarded. It had possession for nearly the entirety of the second half. So what if it took two stoppage-time goals to put down Costa Rica, who are now eliminated from knockout-round contention after their second straight scoreless loss. Brazil is going to take the win on a day when the ref was keeping his whistle in his pocket an aging Costa Rica team that weathered just about everything until only minutes remained.
Yes, Neymar acted like a petulant child as his frustration with the officiating got the best of him. But he also bore the brunt of Costa Rica’s tackles and never stopped his attack. It was Neymar being Neymar.
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What’s next
Brazil: vs. Serbia in Moscow, June 27, 2 p.m.
Costa Rica: vs. Switzerland in Nizhny-Novgorod, June 27, 2 p.m.
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Game highlights
Goal!
It’s the dagger for Brazil in the 97th minute as Costa finds Neymar for a much-earned goal, just before the end. This’ll end 2-0. Neymar is in tears after the whistle.
Goal!
Coutinho collects the ball in the box after a tip from Jesus and Navas can’t stop this one in the 91st minute. Brazil is up 1-0 and the celebration suggests a much bigger win than a World Cup group-stage match.
Down goes Tite!
He almost did it again about three minutes later, but his close-in shot is high and wide.
Penalty shot overturned!
At long last, after much politicking, Neymar gets a call as he’s dragged down by Gonzales in the box. Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers goes to the video to make sure Neymar wasn’t embellishing and … he overturns his own call! (Neymar gave it a overly dramatic sell, yes.)
In the 81st minute, Neymar slams the ball to the turf during a stoppage in play and gets the yellow. Coutinho got one, too. The boiling point has been reached.
Kuipers should not expect a Christmas card from Neymar this year. Or, frankly, from anyone in Brazil.
Ticos done with subs
Costa Rica makes a second substitution in the 75th minute as Francisco Calvo comes on for Cristian Gamboa. In the 83rd minute, Yeltsin Tejeda comes on for David Guzman.
Brazil’s second sub
Roberto Firmino enters for Paulinho, in the 67th minute. Moments later, Casimiro’s header off a corner kick is straight at Navas.
Then, with space to roam after a Costa Rican attempt is halted and a bad Tico touch gives the ball away, Neymar’s attempt from 25 yards goes inches right. He had Navas beat, but the aim was just wide.
Costa Rica shakes things up
Christian Bolanos, becoming the first Costa Rican to appear in three World Cups, comes on to replace Marco Urena.
So. Many. Chances.
Brazil is getting right to it, first by batting the ball around the box. Navas took a knee to the midsection from Neymar as he corralled the ball. He seemed to be at least momentarily in pain.
Then, moments later, Jesus had Navas beaten but not the post. His header bangs off — and Coutinho’s strike on the rebound is booted away by Navas — and we remain scoreless.
A change for Brazil
Willian is off, Douglas Costa is on for Brazil as we begin the second half.
Halftime: 0-0
Brazil is controlling possession (around 65 percent) but hasn’t been able to piece together a truly strong scoring chance. Costa Rica had a few minor chances to get numbers on the counterattack but they didn’t have much urgency behind them.
A number of Costa Rica’s fouls have been committed on Neymar — hey, it seems to be the thing to do — and he had some words for Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers before getting pulled away by his teammates as he was heading to the locker room.
Ticos simply holding on
Costa Rica, in its rare forays with possession, seems content to tinker with the ball at midfield until Brazil inevitably takes it away. Just seems like they’re trying to stem the tide right now.
No goal!
Marcelo appears to score in the 26th minute but the offside flag was up. No goal. Proper call. Moments later, Neymar has a run in but Navas breaks it up. Brazil, particularly Neymar, starting to buzz here with runs down the left side. Marcelo sends a shot just wide in the 29th minute.
Neymar fouled again. And Again.
In the 15th minute, the oft-fouled Neymar gets his foot stepped on during a challenge by David Guzman. He’s down but then up. It’s his left foot, not the troublesome right. Two minutes later, he’s fouled again by Johan Venegas after a nifty move.
Seven fouls for Costa Rica in the first 23 minutes.
Casemiro trying to stop the bleeding
Casemiro took a ball to the nose and had to come off to stop the bleeding. With Brazil down to 10 men, Costa Rica pushes forward and Celso Borges sends a good attempt on to Alisson. It goes just wide.
Remember Fagner’s celebration?
Fagner has had the ball on his feet a few times already in his first-ever World Cup match. Remember when he found out he made the team in May? Good stuff here:
Opening thoughts
Both teams carry an air of unease into their second group-stage match. Brazil has had to spend the days since its opening draw with Switzerland answering questions about its subpar performance and injury concerns about Neymar. Costa Rica, meanwhile, has been roiled by alleged intrasquad tiffs: According to the Tico Times, an apparent practice argument between players Johan Venegas and Giancarlo González was broadcast on a live feed before it was taken down. Meanwhile, the players perhaps are unhappy with Coach Oscar Ramírez and allegedly feel like star goalkeeper Keylor Navas isn’t being the best teammate. With Brazil on tap, none of that can be seen as ideal. Costa Rica needs at least a draw to keep its knockout-round hopes alive.
Brazil is now on a three-game winless streak at the World Cup, dating to 2014. The last time they went four games without a win: 1974-78.
The lineups
Brazil: Alisson; Silva, Miranda, Marcelo, Fagner; Casemiro, Coutinho, Paulinho, Willian; Jesus, Neymar
Costa Rica: Navas; Acosta, Gonzalez, Duarte, Oviedo, Gamboa; Borges, Ruiz, Guzman; Venegas, Urena
Of note: Yes, Neymar is in the starting 11 for Brazil, which also is replacing an injured Danilo with Fagner (making his first-ever World Cup appearance and playing in only his fifth-ever international game). Costa Rica slots in Bryan Oviedo for Francisco Calvo.
Read more about the World Cup:
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