Peru vs. Brazil in the Copa America group stage Sunday saw an unprecedented refereeing decision regarding a handball.
No, not that one.
You know that thing where players go down as soon as they get bumped and they grab the ball while they're on the ground, but before the ref can call anything, and force the ref to decide between a foul and a handball? I f****** hate when players do that.
Soccer is cruel.
Before we show the video, you know which one, we need to get some things straght. First, Brazil did not deserve to win that game. They were lethargic in attack and only slightly less lethargic in defense.
Second, a case can easily be made that Brazil did not even deserve to advance. They scored seven goals against Haiti, but didn't score any goals against Ecuador or Peru. To win in soccer, you have to score goals. I've always said that.
With Neymar sitting out of Copa America, someone has to fill the space. Phillipe Coutinho did so against Haiti Wednesday night as he put three balls past Haiti's goalkeeper to help Brazil snag 3 points and a 7-1 win. His first goal was a screamer that could have left a hole in the back of the net. Check out this blast from the youngster!
As the final whistle blew on Saturday's 0-0 draw between the Brazil National Team and Ecuador, boos began to ring down from fans all around the Rose Bowl. Brazil had been largely unimpressive and ineffective, punctuated only by occasional moments of magic that failed to produce anything of substance. For anyone hoping that Brazil could shake off the shackles of the 2014 World Cup and regain their spot at the top of world football, it was a depressing dose of reality.
Neymar Jr. is both the Brazil National Team's best player and its captain, but the 24-year-old striker isn't playing in the biggest senior soccer tournament in America this summer. Because Brazil are saving him for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he's watching it from the sidelines.
The Selecao striker watched the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Willian draw with Ecuador in their first match in the Copa America Centenario while accompanied by the likes of Justin Bieber, Jamie Foxx and Lewis Hamilton.
Brazil vs Ecuador finished as a nil-nil draw after an intense and controversial 90 minutes which saw an Ecuador goal incorrectly disallowed. The result sees Peru stay atop Group B as leaders.
Most amazing goals consist of incredible strikes from distance or a goalie scoring off of a corner kick to save the day, but this one is quite special. Thomas Luciano, a 14-year-old defender at club Gremio out of Brazil scored a goal for the ages off of a woodwork ricochet. After the ball came bounding off of the crossbar, quick thinking allowed Thomas to execute a perfectly time skorpion kick that put the ball over the keeper in a chaotic moment. This golazo is definitely worth a few good watchings!
Roberto Carlos struck the greatest free kick the world had ever seen against France at the 1997 Tournoi de France. Unable to classify the actions of the Brazilian, the description “banana free kick” entered the soccer dictionary. Now, 17 years later, a Brazilian compatriot named Anderson Pico has once again accomplished the impossible.
There are a few mysteries in life we might never get the answers to. Where did we come from? Where do we go? And what goes on inside of Dunga’s head?
Photo: @futbolsapiens | Twitter
When talking about Brazilian soccer clubs, the average soccer fan will know a decent amount of them, like Corinthians who stunned Chelsea in the Club World Cup a few years ago, or the Internacional side that took down one of the strongest teams in history, 2006 Barcelona, or even the Sao Paulo squad that defeated Liverpool in the 2005 Club World Cup final.