Neymar, Dua Golnya jadi `Tiket` Tembus 16 Besar
Neymar Scores Twice to Help Secure Last 16 Spot for Brazil
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
Brasilia (B2B) - Brasil berhasil menjadi juara Grup A Piala Dunia 2014 setelah menang besar, 4-1, atas Kamerun di Estadio Nacional Brasilia, Selasa pagi WIB. Hasil tersebut membuat Brasil lolos ke babak 16 besar sebagai juara Grup A dengan mengoleksi tujuh poin.
Meskipun jumlah poin mereka sama dengan Meksiko, yang di waktu bersamaan menang 3-1 atas Kroasia di Recife, namun Selecao unggul dalam produktivitas yakni memiliki selisih lima gol sedangkan Tri Colore hanya tiga, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Pada babak 16 besar Brasil akan menghadapi Chile yang menempati peringkat dua klasemen akhir Grup B, sedangkan Meksiko meladeni juara Grup B, Belanda.
Penyerang bintang Barcelona, Neymar Jr, menyumbang dwigol dalam kemenangan Brasil tersebut yang dicetak pada menit 17 dan 35.
Pencetak tiga gol lainnya bagi Brasil adalah Fred dan Fernandinho, masing-masing pada menit 49 dan 86.
Sedangkan Kamerun sempat membalas pada menit 26 lewat gelandang Joel Matip.
Brasilia - Neymar knew the responsibility was his. An increasingly anxious host nation was relying on him to ensure Brazil avoided the almost inconceivable prospect of going out in the group stage of a World Cup on soil.
The 22-year-old Barcelona striker delivered on the weighty expectations Monday, setting the Selecao on course to clinch its place in the knockout stage with two precision first-half goals in a 4-1 rout of Cameroon.
He had already been decisive in the 3-1 opening win over Croatia, when he also scored twice to lift a struggling Brazil.
Fred and Fernandinho added second-half goals to ensure top spot in Group A for Brazil, which will face South American rival Chile in the second round.
More important than the widely expected victory, though, was a performance that restored the confidence of fans after two disappointing matches.
