Brazil looked like they were well on their way to drawing a second consecutive match in Group Play, but in the stoppage time Neymar and Philippe Coutinho raced to steal a victory. Costa Rica who competed well beyond expectations in 2014, reaching the quarterfinals in 8th position, look to have sealed their fate with today's loss. That isn't to say, they didn't fight tooth and nail to secure a positive result. In fact, the Costa Rican players resorted to underhanded tactics in order to gain leverage in the match. The foul play didn't go unnoticed by Brazilian superstar Neymar.
As the clip clearly demonstrates, Neymar comes into contact with a Costa Rican defender who then simulates an injury while on the ground. Ad with protocol, the Costa Rican training staff tended to the his "injuries" with a stretcher. Neymar, obviously irate, waited for the player to rise to his feet, then proceeded his opponent's mother calling her a "Puta." The word is suggestive in itself.
With the victory, Brazil moves into first place in Group E, well positioned to reach the knockout phase of the tournament. The other nations in Group E, Serbia & Switzerland square off later today. The video below puts into context how many times Neymar is targeted over the course of a 90 minute game.
