Brazil 3, Chile 0

Rhythmic or Ruthless, Beauty Is in Eye of Brazil

Let others complain about a lack of beauty. Dunga, Brazil’s coach, is concerned only about winning. The World Cup is, after all, a soccer tournament. The goal is to put another trophy in the case, not to hang a picture on the wall.

With its usual pragmatic reliance on set pieces and rampaging counterattacks, Brazil routed Chile, 3-0, on Monday night at Ellis Park. Seeking a sixth World Cup title, it advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will face the Netherlands on Friday.

If Brazil no longer plays samba soccer, sometimes seeming disjointed and desultory in attack, it remains formidable with an athletic and remorseless defense and enough moments of individual brilliance to summon the beautiful game and to lament its absence.

Monday’s victory was Brazil’s most impressive of its three so far. It featured glimpses of ostentation and fluidity that recalled a more elegant past. But mostly the match was one of dogged hustle and incessant running to intercept Chile’s florid attack, strip it and boomerang it in the opposite direction.

“We already said in these World Cup games, we have to go forward and play open football,” Dunga said. “That’s what everybody wants to see.”

In the 35th minute, Maicon’s corner kick found center back Juan, who was challenged only by other teammates seeking to score, not by any Chilean defenders. Juan headed the ball sharply from 10 yards, and Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo raised his right hand too late as Brazil went ahead, 1-0.

Three minutes later, Brazil scored on a quick counterattack. Maicon whipped a long pass to midfield, and Kaká headed the ball to Robinho, who was streaming down the left flank. Robinho crossed back to Kaká, who slid the ball perfectly forward to Luís Fabiano in the penalty area.

Chile’s offside trap failed, and Luís Fabiano stepped around the charging Bravo and tapped the ball into an empty net, scoring his third goal in four games and giving Brazil a 2-0 lead.

Kaká no longer has the commanding presence that made him the world player of the year in 2007, but he is slowly building in this World Cup after an injury-thwarted season at Real Madrid. After sitting out the final group match with a suspension, Kaká returned with graceful passing to fuel Brazil’s potent counterattacks.

He does, however, have to remain careful after drawing his third yellow card in four matches.

“Yes, it is a problem,” an irritated Dunga said. “Technical players are punished, and those who always commit fouls aren’t. This is lamentable.”

Brazil’s final goal came in the 59th minute, when midfielder Ramires stole a pass at midfield, dribbled through acres of open space and passed at the top of the penalty area to Robinho. His one-touch shot curled around Bravo and inside the right post, putting Brazil ahead, 3-0.

If Brazil is not always brilliant, it does possess remarkable depth and resourcefulness. Elano, who had two goals and an assist in group play, and Felipe Melo were absent from midfield with injury. They were hardly missed.

Ramires had played only 15 minutes in Brazil’s first three games, but he was ruthlessly efficient on Monday’s third goal. The other replacement midfielder was the kinetic Dani Alves, who happens to be the right back for Barcelona.

Before Monday’s game, Dunga defended his team’s style. This is becoming a daily occurrence, like shaving. Brazil’s World Cup titlists from 1958, 1962 and 1970 are remembered fondly because of the polishing of time and the enhancing of their artistry through edited video remnants, Dunga suggested.

“They just show the good parts,” Dunga said. “If we take the current Brazilian team and just show the best bits, fans will think it is a spectacular team. But today, they show as many negative moments as good ones.”

He continually reminds reporters that soccer today is different in terms of fitness and tactics and pressure. But he also concedes that it is human nature to think fondly of the past, knowing that his team also has the possibility to grow in affection with the passage of time.

“My grandfather always told my father football was better in his day, and my father told me the same,” Dunga said. “I tell my son it was better in my day, and my son will in turn tell his boy that football during his time was the most beautiful.”

For now, beauty can take a back seat to mercilessness.

Chile has developed a swarming attack under Coach Marcelo Bielsa, who is known as El Loco. It plays a style that sits on the razor’s edge between self-assuredness and self-immolation. On Monday, Chile experienced the same futility as it had against Spain, charging forward but leaving itself vulnerable to whiplash counterattacks.

Forward Humberto Suazo, who led South America with 10 goals during World Cup qualifying but played little over the last two months because of injuries, started and grew sharper as the game went on.

But neither he nor his teammates could do more than threaten. Chile has now lost eight consecutive times to Brazil, conceding 29 goals.

“The superiority of Brazil was too much for us,” Bielsa said. “We were unable to slow them down. They were quick to take advantage of every crack we had in our defense.”

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