Neymar has urged his Brazil teammates to rescue some of their battered pride after their humiliating World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany by beating the Netherlands in today’s third-place playoff in Brasilia.
It is the one game that no team ever wants to take part in, but the encounter at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha took on extra significance after the hosts’ dream of lifting the trophy at the Maracana 24 hours later was ended by their record 7-1 loss against Germany.
Neymar missed that match after fracturing a bone in his back in the quarter-final win against Colombia, but the 22-year-old superstar faced the media on Thursday as he called for Brazil to bow out on a high.
“It was unbelievable, inexplicable. We had the opportunity to write our names into history in a positive manner and we failed,” Neymar said of the Selecao’s embarrassing semi-final loss, their heaviest-ever defeat.
“We haven’t had a good campaign. We were consistent, which is why we reached the semi-finals, but we didn’t play the kind of enchanting football associated with Brazil,” he said. “Now we need to approach Saturday’s game as if it were the final and finish the World Cup smiling, with a victory. It is not going to lessen the pain, but it is important.”
The match could prove to be Luiz Felipe Scolari’s last in charge and the coach is likely to make changes to a team whose confidence has been so badly damaged.
Captain Thiago Silva will return after suspension, while his Paris Saint-Germain colleague Maxwell, the only outfield player yet to feature, may play a part.
Despite Neymar’s rallying cry, almost all of those involved in Brasilia would rather be elsewhere, with Daniel Alves having made clear his lack of appetite for the bronze-medal clash.
“The important thing is first place. Nothing else matters,” the fullback said. “We represent millions of people, so we have to digest this defeat and go out onto the field on Saturday, but, for me, every game is about being first.”
The mood in the Netherlands camp is the same. The Oranje have had a day less to prepare for the match after their agonizing defeat on penalties to Argentina in Wednesday’s second semi-final in Sao Paulo.
However, in contrast to Brazil, the Netherlands will be able to look back on a campaign which started with a 5-1 thumping of Spain as a success.
“We have had a fantastic tournament. Nobody expected us to get beyond the group stage,” said coach Louis van Gaal, who must motivate himself for his final match at the helm before he takes over at Manchester United. “We have a day’s less rest, which is not very fair. The third-place playoff is pointless. I was saying that 15 years ago, because you can have a fantastic tournament and then finish with two defeats.”
Nevertheless, the way in which Van Gaal’s superbly organized side have performed throughout the competition suggests they are quite capable of inflicting more pain on Brazil.
“We were so close to reaching the final and I also had confidence that we could beat Germany,” stalwart Dirk Kuyt said. “Now we have to focus on another game, but we have done so well and come so far that it would be a shame to go home with two defeats.”
With the sole exception of third-choice goalkeeper Michel Vorm, every member of the Dutch squad has played some part at the tournament, but Van Gaal may choose to give younger players such as Jordy Clasie and Memphis Depay a run-out from the start.
Meanwhile, Nigel de Jong could miss out after surprisingly featuring for an hour against Argentina, just 10 days after tearing a groin muscle.
The match will be the fifth meeting of the countries at the World Cup, with both sides having recorded two victories. The Netherlands emerged 2-1 winners in the quarter-finals in South Africa four years ago.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care