Neymar Helps Brazil Beat Colombia in World Cup Soccer Rematch
Neymar made a triumphant return for Brazil as the striker led his squad to a 1-0 win in their World Cup rematch with Colombia on Friday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Neymar, who played in his first international game since an injury that ended his World Cup stint, scored on a free kick on the 83rd minute, which was also his first goal as Brazil team captain.
The win against Colombia also gave Dunga his first win since returning as Brazil coach. Dunga replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari following Brazil's humbling defeats to Germany and Netherlands in the World Cup.
Dunga, who decided to name Neymar as captain over Filipe Luis, had nothing but praise for the 22-year-old striker, who outshone fellow star Radamel Falcao.
"The ball sticks to his feet, he does things with a naturalness that others cannot do," Dunga said. "The most difficult things seem simple for him, a naturalness that makes everything look easy."
The 50-year-old coach was impressed with the way Brazil played against Colombia, but he added that they need to work harder to reach their potential, considering the fact that the club is composed of several players who were not included in the World Cup team.
"I think we have to continue the work we've been doing," Dunga said via Goal.com. "We have to guarantee some confidence for the new players. To undo everything that has happened in the space of one game is difficult, so we have to understand the conditions of each player, work on their positions and give opportunities for the new ones to come through."
Before the match, Colombia captain Camilo Zuniga reportedly said sorry to Neymar for his tackle during the World Cup, which forced the Brazilian superstar to miss their last two games due to a broken vertebra.
"Zuniga said sorry and wished me a good game," Neymar said in an interview after the match, which drew 73,429 spectators, reportedly the largest crowd in a soccer game in Florida.
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