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VAR drama, Neymar breaks down in dramatic win

Neymar has been offered support by his coach Tite after the Brazil star was seen crying at the end of a dramatic victory over Costa Rica.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was involved in a controversial incident in the second half when he was awarded a penalty, only for it to be overturned following a VAR intervention.

Neymar went to ground when tussling for the ball with Giancarlo Gonzalez, when the game was still goalless, with referee Bjorn Kuipers going back on his original decision after replays suggested the forward had tumbled too easily .

It looked like being the game’s biggest talking point until Philippe Coutinho and Neymar each scored in injury time to earn Brazil a crucial 2-0 win in the Group E contest in St Petersburg.

Tite later addressed the media to say he would have backed his first instinct and offered his support to Neymar.

Neymar breaks down. Pic: Getty
Neymar breaks down. Pic: Getty

“If I was the referee I wouldn’t go back on my decision but I respect that because it’s subject to interpretation,” said the 57-year-old. “We don’t need referees in order to win the game; we just want it to be fair. You should look at all of the plays and then make a decision. For me it was a penalty.

“We don’t need any help – the athletes and the coach don’t want any help to win.”

After the match, an emotional Neymar was seen in tears with his head in his hands , a moment Tite says he did not see.

He added: “I just went to my corner and waited for the adrenaline to calm down. I didn’t even see it.

“I think the joy, the satisfaction and the pride of representing Brazil is a lot. He has the responsibility, the joy, the pressure and the courage to show it.

“Every person shows it the way they can. I am a very emotional guy and I respect the individual characteristics.”

Neymar goes down. Pic: Getty
Neymar goes down. Pic: Getty

Tite said that Neymar, who endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a metatarsal injury before the World Cup, is still regaining form and full fitness as Brazil’s Group E campaign unfolds.

He backed the 26-year-old to get back to his best, saying: “His individuality shows up if the whole group is playing well so you can’t put the responsibility on one player.

“I have to take my responsibility, so does everyone else on the team. He was three-and-a-half months out with injury.

“He is a human being – he needs some time to resume his high standard. Before he does that there is a team that has to be strong and not dependent on him.

“He’s going to make it. He’s going to reach the top, you’ll see.”

Neymar explains the tears

Neymar said his tears at the end of Brazil’s dramatic win over Costa Rica were “out of happiness” but underlined the struggle he endured to get fit in time to play at the World Cup.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward took to social media in the aftermath of the Group E victory to explain why he put his head in his hands and cried after scoring Brazil’s second goal in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to wrap up his side’s first victory of Russia 2018.

Neymar, who had earlier seen a penalty shout overturned by a VAR review, spent three months sidelined with a metatarsal injury in the build-up to the World Cup and Brazil’s opening game – a 1-1 draw with Switzerland – was his first competitive game since February.

“Not everyone knows what I went through to get here,” the 26-year-old posted on Instagram. “I cried out of happiness, overcoming, grit and desire to win.

“Things were never easy in my life, so why would they be now?”

Having taken four points from their first two group games, Brazil need a positive result against Serbia to make sure of their qualification for the knockout stage.

Neymar paid tribute to his team-mates and insists Brazil remain on course for the latter stages of the competition, saying: “The dream – no, the objective – is still alive.

“Congratulations for the performance, guys. You’re f****** great.”