Brazil Continues Decade of Disaster and Disappointment With Copa Loss
By Ty Duffy
Oh, Brazil…
Peru scored on a “hand of god” goal. Brazil, second favorites, are out of Copa America in the group stage. The group, featuring Haiti and Peru (8th place in CONMEBOL qualifying), would have been best christened the “Group of Guaranteed Life.”
Brazilians can now focus on more pressing matters, such as rampant corruption, the complete disintegration of their national politics, the Zika virus, and, oh yeah, the Olympics.
This collapse is only Brazil’s latest setback, in what has become a broader malaise. Brazil is currently sixth in South American qualifying for 2018, winless away from home. They departed the last two Copa Americas (2011, 2015) on penalties to Paraguay in the quarterfinals. Brazil did reach the semifinals at home in the 2014 World Cup, before suffering the most jarring defeat in the nation’s history. Three-straight Confederations Cups triumphs don’t quite wash that away.
Brazil did send out a “B-team” for Copa America Centenario. Neymar, notably, was shelved for the Olympics. Still, the Brazilians were second favorites to win the tournament. They should have advanced from the group, at least.
Players can be blamed. Even at full-tilt, the starting XI is far outclassed by classic Brazilian champions. The 2002 World Cup winners started three Ballon d’Or winners (Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho) up front in the Final. A fourth Ballon d’Or winner, Kaka, didn’t even seen the field. The list of talented flameouts – Robinho, Pato, Adriano, etc. – over the past decade is devastating.
The B-squad for 2016, however, still included regulars from Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool.
The coach deserves some ire. Brazil were tough, pragmatic, and ill-equipped to break down concerted, organized defending. That resembles Dunga as a player. It also resembles Dunga’s uninventive outfit from 2010 that labored to breakdown North Korea.
Sometimes, even to Brazil, soccer can just be cruel. Brazil were the better team on the field all three matches. Against Ecuador and Peru, they had a 9-3 advantage in shots on target. The shots just need to go in. England got caught as a favorite in their first match at the Euros. France, Germany, and Spain could have been.
Whatever questions were asked in the aftermath of the Germany debacle have not been answered. They won’t be answered by loading up to win a Gold Medal at home in August.
A 2018 World Cup Preview…
The Euro 2016 lede so far is a familiar one: violence. England fans clashed with Marseilles police before the match. Russian fans, clad with mouth guards and MMA gloves, precipitated a clash with English fans during the match, setting off flares and charging a fan section. Dozens have been injured. Both countries face potential sanctions from UEFA.
The whole mess fits neatly within the extant drunk Hooliganism narrative. We too read “Among the Thugs.” Similar violence plagued an England match in Marseilles during the 1998 World Cup. But, there’s also a more ominous interpretation on the Russian side.
Russian soccer is its own cesspool. Though, it’s not a hermetic one. The stadium incident felt like a coordinated campaign. It’s hard not to view this as a proxy for Russian nationalists asserting themselves against the wussy, sanctioning West. It was, after all, a British judge who implicated the Russian government in the assassination of a former KGB operative.
Whatever the motivations, the violence was a chilling reminder that kleptocratic Russia is hosting the 2018 World Cup in two years. That tournament is supposed to be the less problematic of the two World Cups on tap.
On the bright side, if there are incidents at the 2018 World Cup, it means tension in the Baltic states has not erupted into a nuclear World War III. So, that’s a positive.
I, I Believe…
John Brooks has found his Hertha Berlin form. Brad Guzan’s battle testing at shambolic Aston Villa is paying dividends. The USMNT is through to the knockout round. The Americans even won the group. Viva Klinsmann. Of course, that optimism may be short lived. Winning the group may screw them.
Presuming results go as planned (a major presumption given last weekend), Argentina gets at least a point against Bolivia to win Group D. Chile advances with at least a draw against Panama.
The U.S. plays Ecuador in the quarterfinal. Ecuador, second so far in South American qualifying, held Brazil to a scoreless draw, and overturned a 2-0 deficit against Peru in the group stage. Enner Valencia has found the net his last two matches. An aging U.S. team will play after a cross-country trip to Seattle, on a day less rest. Beating Ecuador sets up tournament favorite Argentina in the semifinal.
Colombia, in contrast, faces Peru after a short trip and an extra day of rest. The probable semifinal opponent is Mexico/Chile instead of Argentina. Colombia does not have an easy route, but it does have the preferable one.
Perhaps the U.S. can make like North Carolina football and start awarding stars for winning group stages on goal difference.
We Don’t Like Crediting Stereotypes, But…
How Euro 2016 Fan Groups Should Interact…
" #IRL and #SWE fans singing to Abba .. You’re welcome #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/Xbn2bfOXkm — The Offside Rule (@OffsideRulePod) June 13, 2016 "