MY IMPRESSIONS OF BRAZIL VS COLOMBIA
We are more than half way through the World Cup, and I have to say I am very happy that this has been one of greatest World Cups ever. Despite what the international media had forecast, and all the negative comments about the country not being prepared for the event, Brazil has been doing an amazing job!
The tourists and soccer fans are happy and impressed by Brazil’s friendly hospitality.
Last Friday July 4th, was the last game of the quarter finals, and Brazil’s best performance in the World Cup. However, Brazil’s amazing victory over Colombia 2-1 was marked by a sad turn of events, an injury to Neymar resulting in a fractured vertebrae and his early exit from the tournament.
This was a very unpredictable game, and when I say unpredictable I don’t mean that I had any doubt Brazil would win over Colombia, but I had no idea that Colombia would play so dirty. The fouls against the Brazilian players right in front of the referees were ridiculous, they were so lenient that they may as well have not been there at all!
This time my friends and I had decided to watch the game in the “temple of soccer” in NY called Legends, (or Football Factory as it was once called). It seemed like a great idea, considering it was The 4th of July, and I thought many people would be out of town so unlike last time, we would be able to comfortably watch the game in the best soccer bar in NYC. Well, maybe only in my dreams.
This is how the place looked: an endless line of Colombians, Americans, Brazilians and every nationality you can imagine. It could have been really cool…if we had had been able to get in! It was packed.
The game was about to start, and we had to find a place asap, so we ran to the first bar we saw, an Irish Pub called Jack Demsey’s, which was also packed. World Cup fever has literally overtaken NY. New Yorkers are now soccer fans! I cannot complain at all. I actually love it!
And so the game begins and it was intense, fast (in the first half) and Brazil actually showed great improvement! Thiago Silva (Seleção’s captain, which ended up suspended) scored the first goal, followed by a beautiful 30 yard free-kick goal from David Luiz.
Colombia is out, and now Brazil will face fierce Germany on the semi-finals without its best player Neymar and the team captain, Thiago Silva. This is going to be a huge challenge for the Seleção and they will have to prove themselves. But Brazilians are good at proving their capabilities in difficult situations. Aren’t you convinced? Brazil has pulled off the World Cup right? I rest my case. 
Vai Brasil! O sonho ainda é possível!
Let’s go Brazil! The dream is still alive!