Armour: Brazil's shocking loss at World Cup reminder talent only goes so far
MONCTON, New Brunswick — The first of the favorites is gone, and the impact of Brazil's loss might be felt all the way to Vancouver.
After strolling through Group E — that's E for Easy — Brazil flunked its first test of the World Cup on Sunday. It was outplayed by Australia for pretty much the entire game, unable to slow the Matildas' pace or break down their defense, and flustered by its swagger.
When Kyah Simon finally scored on a tap-in in the 80th minute, it was more affirmation than an upset.
"It was one detail, one ball that we lost off midfield. A game where we had control of the game, especially in the second half," Brazil coach Vadao said. "The second half, we were controlling the game."
I'm not sure what game Vadao was watching, but Australia deserved every bit of this win, its first-ever in the knockout rounds of either the World Cup or Olympics.
And the Brazilian federation has no one but itself to blame for its team coming up short again.
Player for player, Brazil has more talent than any other country. But its federation does nothing to nurture that, giving the women's team little in the way of resources or support. Most tournaments, the Brazilians don't even come together until a few weeks beforehand.
The game has evolved to the point where talent alone is not enough to carry a team on a deep run. Brazil seems to have recognized that, establishing a residency program earlier this year in preparation for the World Cup and next year's Rio Olympics.
But putting a plan into practice is another thing altogether.
While Australia was organized and aggressive in its attack, the Brazilians didn't appear to have a strategy beyond booming shots from long range and hoping they came up with something off a set piece. Defense was more of a recommendation than a requirement, and Luciana was a goal waiting to happen with all her miscues.
Brazil could get away with that — did get away with that — against South Korea, Spain and Costa Rica, the other teams in Group E. But it wasn't going to cut it against the Australians, and Brazil's failure to adjust was as problematic as anything.
"I just think we're a dangerous team," Australia coach Alen Stajcic said. "I think probably we're one of the most dangerous teams, if not the most dangerous team, going forward. You're going to have to play good football to break us down."
Brazil's elimination blows the bottom half — read: the weaker half — of the draw wide open. Australia will play the winner of Tuesday's Japan-Netherlands game in the quarterfinals, and anyone who thinks the Matildas can't make it all the way to the July 5 final in Vancouver hasn't watched them play.
Their defense is solid enough, and their speed and quickness make them as dangerous as a rattlesnake on the attack. Most importantly, they have a belief in themselves that's growing with every game.
When Simon saw the ball played through to Lisa De Vanna, something told her Luciana was going to fumble De Vanna's shot. Sure enough, the Brazilian goalkeeper got her hands on the ball but didn't corral it. It squirted free and fell right at Simon's feet at the edge of the box, allowing her tap the ball home with one smooth finish.
The Brazilians had one last chance to equalize in the 90th minute, but Lydia Williams snagged Cristiane's header off a free kick.
When the final whistle sounded, the players on Australia's bench sprinted onto the field to mob their teammates. Several of the Brazilians bent over in stunned disbelief while Luciana buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
"There's an enormous amount of pride," Simon said. "Making it this far is an achievement within itself. But it's not as big an achievement as what we want to accomplish in this tournament."
Talent can carry you far in the World Cup. But as Brazil learned the hard way, it takes confidence and a plan to be a true contender.
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