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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Eighty years in Federer holds the making, off Ebden to Germany’s reach Halle record in peril semi-fi nals Saturday, June 23, 2018 FOOTBALL Shawwal 9, 1439 AH Nigeria bounce GULF TIMES back at World Cup to beat Iceland 2-0 SPORTSPORT Page 2 REPORT BRA 2-0 CRC NNeymar,eymar, CoutinhoCoutinho putput BBrazilrazil bidbid backback onon ttrackrack Costa Rica are out of World Cup AFP points collected from their Saint Petersburg opening two matches. Costa Rica, meanwhile, are out but the Central eymar broke down Americans were far from in tears, Brazil disgraced here. breathed a sigh “I don’t know what else of relief and their we could have done,” their Ncoach Tite pulled a muscle coach Oscar Ramirez said. as he celebrated a last-gasp “Considering what I have at 2-0 win over Costa Rica yes- my disposal and what they terday. have, I think it is reasonable Philippe Coutinho fi nally what we did.” broke a dogged Costa Rica’s Neymar started despite resistance in the 91st minute limping out of training on before Neymar added a sec- Tuesday with a hurt ankle, ond in the 96th to propel the which the Brazilian FA said fi ve-time champions to- was sustained as a result of wards the World Cup last 16. snapping Swiss defenders. At the fi nal whistle, Ney- He faced the most devoted mar sat down on the grass of markers in Costa Rica’s and wept, with the emotion Cristian Gamboa, the Bra- of victory hitting home af- zilian spending most of the ter a tense Group E contest half hopping over scything at the Saint Petersburg Sta- tackles or dodging past a dium. barging shoulder. Tite, meanwhile, was left After a slightly ponder- limping, after the 57-year- ous fi rst half, Brazil cranked old reacted to Coutinho’s up the pressure in the sec- strike by bursting onto the ond as Gabriel Jesus’s head- pitch and tripping over his er crashed own feet. against “I think I kind of pulled the a muscle!” Tite said. “I’m cross- limping now after the cele- bar and bration. We were a bit over- Coutin- excited.” ho was Costa Rica looked likely denied to hold on for a hard-earned by the ever- draw, particularly after Ney- present Gamboa on the line. mar had a penalty award Frustration brewed but chalked off by referee Bjorn Costa Rica’s resistance Kuipers, following a con- was finally ended in stop- sultation with the Video As- page-time as Marcelo’s sistant Referee. deep cross was kept alive This was only Neymar’s by Roberto Firmino and a fourth outing since return- loose touch by Jesus drib- ing from three and a half bled perfectly into Coutin- months out with a foot in- ho’s path. Six yards out, he jury and Tite admitted his sidefooted home. star player will need time to Broken, Costa Rica hit top form. conceded again right at Brazil will now head the death. Firmino drove into their fi nal group game through the middle before Brazil’s Neymar (left) scores past Costa Rica against Serbia next week Douglas Costa squared for goalkeeper Keylor Navas during their match confi dent of reaching the Neymar fi nally to fi nd the yesterday in Saint Petersburg yesterday. knock-out stages,, wiwwiththth ffourour nenet.t.t (Inset) Neymar and teammate Philippe Coutinho (left) celebrate a goal. (Reuters/AFP) Striker hits back at World Cup critics AFP “Things were never easy in my Saint Petersburg life, so why would they be now? Tears worry nervous Brazilians The dream — no, the OBJEC- TIVE — is still alive. Congratu- AFP At the final whistle, the World Cup,” Brazil’s biggest eymar rounded on his lations for the performance, Rio de Janeiro striker — described as a newspaper, O Globo, head- critics and defended guys.” genius by his coach Tite lined the main article on its his emotional reaction The world’s most expen- and a petulant brat by website after the drama. to scoring in Brazil’s sive player was making just his razilians watched his many detractors — While acknowledging that N2-0 World Cup win over Costa fourth appearance after break- their team’s excruciat- sank to the turf, sobbing. Neymar has had a torrid Rica after he broke down in tears ing a bone in his foot in Febru- Bingly hard-fought win Later, Neymar tweeted that buildup to the tournament, at the fi nal whistle. ary. yesterday over Costa Rica in “these were tears of joy, of with surgery for a broken A largely frustrating after- And Brazil coach Tite admit- a cold sweat but it was Ney- having overcome.” foot bone and a hugely noon for the fi ve-time world ted the Paris Saint-Germain star mar’s hot tears that really “It’s one of the big images disappointing first game champions was forgotten thanks is still not fully match-fi t. made the footballing-mad of the World Cup: Neymar, against Switzerland, Globo to two goals in stoppage time. “He needs some time to nation sit up. alone, collapsed and in said the tears were just too Philippe Coutinho broke the resume his high standard. Be- “Neymar’s crying is the big floods of tears,” the UOL much. deadlock before Neymar tapped fore then there is a team that has news,” declared the Blog esporte blog said. “A team needs to demon- home with virtually the last kick to be strong and not depend on do Menon on the leading “These were the tears of a strate mental strength, not of the game. him.” UOL Esporte website. football player. The tears of fragility. Genuine or not, “Not everyone knows what Neymar’s emotions at the The world’s most expensive someone who cares.” Neymar’s crying is worry- I went through to get here,” he end highlighted Brazil’s relief footballer had just scored But many asked if so much ing,” Globo said. posted on Twitter and Insta- at getting their fi rst win of the the second of Brazil’s two emotion after beating a “It was either the symptom gram. tournament after being held 1-1 extra-time goals, finally supposedly far inferior of troubling instability or it “Even parrots can talk, but by Switzerland in their opening subduing Costa Rica’s team pointed to crackups was a return of Neymar’s walking the walk... not everyone match. stubborn resistance — and to come? narcissism that Neymar had does it. I cried out of happiness, Tite fell to the fl oor as he sped getting a monkey off the “It’s not normal to cry managed to control so well overcoming, grit and desire to onto the pitch following Coutin- star-studded team’s back. in the second game of a for nearly the whole match.” win. ho’s strike. Neymar’s strike seven minutes into stoppage time against Costa Rica was the latest ever at a World Cup in regular time 2 Gulf Times Saturday, June 23, 2018 REPORT NGA 2-0 ISL REPORT SRB 1-2 SUI Musa magic gives Last gasp Shaqiri seals Nigeria 2-0 victory Swiss win It was only the second win for an African side in over Serbia AFP almost scored with a spectac- Russia World Cup so far Kaliningrad, Russia ular bicycle kick that went the over Iceland same way minutes later. Switzerland, who came to last-minute Russia ranked ahead of the Xherdan Sha- likes of France and Spain, felt qiri breakaway goal their way into the game as the handed Switzer- fi rst-half progressed. Aland victory yesterday as they On the half-hour mark, came from behind to defeat Steven Zuber cleverly teed up Serbia 2-1 in Kaliningrad. Blerim Dzemaili but the Hof- The win puts Switzerland in fenheim man got his feet in a pole position to make it out of muddle and Vladimir Stojko- a tough Group E that contains vic was able to parry away. fi ve-times winners Brazil but But it was Serbia, who beat they were pushed all the way Costa Rica 1-0 in their Group by the Serbs. E opener, who nearly went in It was a sweet victory for two up. Shaqiri and fellow Swiss Nemanja Matic missed a goalscorer Granit Xhaka, glorious chance to double who along with team-mate the lead just before the break Valon Belrami were booed when Tadic’s in-swinging relentlessly by Serbia’s fans corner found him unmarked throughout. at the back post but the Man- Shaqiri, Xhaka and Belrami chester United midfi elder trace their roots to Kosovo, couldn’t sort his feet out. a former province of Serbia, Matic said during the build- a fact which had stoked ten- up the team were expecting sions before the match. a “hellish” encounter with Both Shaqiri and Xhaka the Swiss, who in their game pointedly celebrated their with Brazil fouled star forward goals by making an eagle ges- Neymar 10 times alone. ture with their hands, viewed Switzerland grew in stat- as a symbol of defi ance. ure after the break and were Serbia raced out of the rewarded with a spectacular blocks, funnelling possession equaliser courtesy of Xhaka’s to Southampton winger Du- 52nd-minute piledriver. san Tadic on the right fl ank, They had the better chances who troubled Switzerland in the second period, with Sha- with his crossing all match. qiri’s curling eff ort from the An Aleksandar Mitrovic edge of the area grazing Stojko- header forced a smart save vic’s bar on the hour mark.

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