|
|
|
| June 29, 2006 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 2, 1427 |
Cheers and criticism as Brazilians celebrate
RIO DE JANEIRO, June 28: Brazilians pounded on samba drums and set off fireworks to celebrate Brazil's latest victory in the World Cup on Tuesday, but the partying was mixed with criticism that the team could have played better.
Although the 3-0 win over Ghana ensured Brazil a spot in the quarterfinals, many fans had their share of complaints over the team's performance and the strategy of coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
“I'm happy with the win, but with certain conditions,” said Jorge Reis, a 60-year-old lawyer. “Brazil scored atypical goals, when the goalie was out of place. We're going to have to do better in the next games.”
Many are clamoring for Parreira to field the mixed squad of starters and reserves which scored a 4-1 win over Japan last week and showed the speed and agility that the aging veteran starters sometimes lack.
But Parreira said winning was more important than looking good, and even his critics celebrated the victory.
In Sao Paulo, Brazil's business capital, office workers pitched confetti, paper airplanes and yellow and green balloons out of skyscraper windows and onto the cheering crowds below.
Some broke out into spontaneous samba dancing, and others said Ronaldo should now be called ‘gordomino’, roughly the ‘chubby phenomenon’ in Portuguese.
The Real Madrid striker apparently was overweight when he reported to training camp.
In one neighbourhood, four elated women and two men stripped off their clothes and danced the samba naked to cheers from other fans, who glanced at them but barely paid attention as they continued their own celebration.
Many schools across the country closed for the day, since the game began at noon local time.
Banks and companies closed a half hour before the game's start and opened again only a half hour after it was over.
In Rio, shivering fans crowded in front of TV sets in street corner bars to watch the game despite the chill of the South American winter.
Many planned to take the rest of the day off to watch the match between France and Spain, which would determine Brazil's opponent in the quarterfinals.
Many Brazilians were cheering for France — to give their team a chance to avenge its 3-0 loss to France in the final of the 1998 World Cup.
“Brazil are going to win the Cup. We're going to beat everyone – even the Argentines,” predicted Leninha Amaral, a 24-year-old student who was wearing a national team jersey with Ronaldinho Gaucho's No 10 emblazoned on the back. “Everyone will fall before Brazil.”—AP
|
|
|
|
