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07/05 19:49 CDT Brazil left to second-guess penalty kick choice after earliest
World Cup exit since 1990
Brazil left to second-guess penalty kick choice after earliest World Cup exit
since 1990
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) --- Vincius Jnior had the ball at the penalty
spot, a perfect chance to give Brazil the lead.
And he handed it to Bruno Guimaraes.
And by the time Neymar --- in what he said was his final World Cup appearance
--- took and made Brazil's second penalty kick, it was too late for the
five-time champion.
Guimaraes had his penalty shot stopped by rjan Nyland in the 14th minute and
Brazil couldn't get one past Norway's goalkeeper until deep in stoppage time,
losing 2-1 on Sunday in the round of 16 for its earliest World Cup exit since
1990.
"We just have to apologize to the Brazilian people, to everyone that attended
this venue and witnessed this match, and I think we have to learn from our
mistakes," Brazil captain Marquinhos said. "For those that come in the new
generation, I ask that the people will support them from the beginning."
The Brazilians will be left with four years of second-guessing, wondering why
they chose not to have one of soccer's elite scorers take the penalty shot
after Matheus Cunha was taken down by a sliding tackle in the box.
No foul was called originally, to the Brazilians' protest, but the penalty was
awarded after a video review. Vincius, who came into the game leading Brazil
with four goals in four games, had the ball in his hands, and it appeared he
would take the kick.
Instead, Guimaraes walked to the spot and Vincius handed him the ball, then
went and stood to the left of the box and watched as Guimaraes stutter-stepped,
then fired the shot that Nyland dived to his left to knock away.
Guimaraes ended up the choice through a combination of analytics and injuries.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti explained that the Brazilians had compiled statistics on
their best penalty takers for a year, and the best choices were Neymar and
forward Raphinha. Guimaraes was next.
But Neymar, who has battled injuries and didn't even play in Brazil's first two
matches, wasn't in the game yet. Raphinha injured his hamstring last month.
"So, we chose Bruno Guimaraes because we felt that he was the best on the field
at that point," Ancelotti said.
It was Brazil's first unsuccessful penalty kick in the World Cup --- not
counting shootouts --- since 1986, and a huge boost to the belief of the
Norwegians, who had never won a game in the knockout stage until the previous
round.
"Obviously, when you're able to save a penalty that early, you feel that it's
very hard to beat you, which was a great moment in the game for myself but also
for the team to give ourselves some breathing space," Nyland said.
There would be some more quality chances, but Nyland turned them away each
time, many of them right in front of the large section of yellow-shirted fans
behind the goal Brazil was shooting at in the first half.
Vincius was dangerous with some speedy runs along the left side and Ancelotti
brought on Neymar in the 68th minute for extra firepower. Their longtime great
took and made the shot after another penalty was called late, joining Pel as
the only Brazilian players to score in four World Cups.
His team needed more than that and failed to reach the quarterfinals for the
first time since falling to Argentina in the round of 16 in 1990.
The Brazilians returned four years later when the U.S. last hosted the World
Cup and won. The Seleao won their fifth title in 2002 but remain empty since.
"I mean, I'll do the mea culpa here. I'm the captain. I'm one of the older
guys," Marquinhos said. "We have to take on the blame so the next generations
can move forward and do their job when it comes to time. This is a cycle that
is going to start from now on. We don't know what's going to happen."
___
See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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