Brazilians erupt into joyous ecstasy as Neymar’s double amends indiscretion

Jun 13, 2014 Sports

The fantasy of winning the first game in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil sent those Brazilians residing in Guyana into a fit of ecstasy and their shouts of ‘victoria’ upon the conclusion of their encounter against Croatia reverberated around the main shopping area in Georgetown where most of them had convened to witness the game.

World Cup fever hits Guyana. Fans share a moment during the opening game yesterday just outside Rockies bar in Light Street.

Rockies Bar, situated in Light Street, North Cummingsburg, is a favourite waterhole where the Brazilians convene to have a refreshing beer or simply to sit and chat. That venue was converted to a hive of activity as a large crowd gathered under a canopy set up by the Brazilians, with two large flat screen televisions, positioned at convenient points and allowed for unobstructed viewing.
Guyanese, not those to pass up on an economic activity, were patrolling the periphery of the joint with large Brazilian flags and other memorabilia ‘hustling’ a few extra dollars in an atmosphere that was electrifying.
When the Croatians took the early in the game, you could have heard the proverbial ‘pin drop’ but the die-hard Brazilian fans prophesied that their countrymen would have made amends. True to form, star forward Neymar with a pin-point left foot strike shortly before the end of the first session flew past the outstretched hands of the Croatian custodian and brought the situation back to equilibrium.
Neymar struck again, this time from the penalty spot, after the Croatian #6 Dejan Lovren blatantly fouled the Brazilian #9 Fred with Neymar chosen to strike the penalty; he did it with flair and fantasy to send his team ahead.
Oscar’s strike shortly before the final whistle sent the Brazilians ahead to a comfortable 3-1 win and as someone jocularly said, the final score should have been 4-0 in favour of Brazil as they had scored

Fans went crazy after Brazil found the equaliser in their openeing game agaisnt Croatia at Rockies bar.

Fans went crazy after Brazil found the equaliser in their opening game against Croatia at Rockies bar.

all of the goals.
Ronald ‘Ronaldo’ Chung is a Guyanese that works with the Brazilians at Rockies Bar. He admits that Brazil plays a brand of football that could pose problems for a lot of teams. Nevertheless, he said that he is backing Argentina to cart off the spoils since they are a more formidable unit.
Even as he spoke, Brazil managed to net the equalizer but he remained unimpressed; “if Argentina was playing those Croatians the score would have been 3 nil in the Argentine’s favour,” he opined.
Mervyn ‘Pug’ Wilson is a local football coach and he viewed the game at Sweet Point Snackette. He feels that Brazil will win the ‘Holy Grail’ since that team is enjoying home advantage. “They also have the most skilled players and to my mind are more technically sound than the European players,” said Wilson.
The tournament has only now begun and it is early days yet. That did not stop the Brazilians from erupting into unbridled ecstasy when the final whistle sounded. One fan was heard saying, “Well if that is the response of those Brazilians after only the end of the first match, imagine what the response will be if they should win the trophy; the earth will truly shake. (M. Benjamin)