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“He is the hero of every Brazilian and of everyone who loves football,” Scolari said of the 21-year old striker after the hosts finished top of Group A with three wins from three games following a 4-2 victory over second-placed Italy.
“He had some great moves today (Saturday). People who have that genius can make a difference.”
Neymar won the man-of-the-match award and scored for the third game running as Brazil shone in a pulsating encounter.
Brazil pressured the Italians from the off and also scored through Dante and Fred, who netted twice.
But it was Neymar’s 55th minute free-kick that caused the biggest roar in the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador. “He saw that Buffon took a step to the side and he knew that he was going to hit it in the corner,” Scolari told reporters of a curling strike that left goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon rooted to the spot.
Scolari said he took the Barcelona man off because he had committed a few fouls and he wanted to be certain he would not pick up any cautions that could rule him out of future matches.
The coach also saluted defender Dante, the hometown boy who replaced David Luiz in the 34th minute, made a big mistake that almost gave Mario Balotelli a free shot at goal and then popped up inside the box just before half-time to put Brazil ahead.
“Dante plays in Bayern Munich and he has been thrown into much harder situation that he was today when he came on,” Scolari said.
“I can’t say he is a first pick but I have no worries about bringing him on. I have told all the players in the squad, I have no worries about taking someone off because I can trust all of the substitutes.”
Although the win was Scolari’s fourth in a row, the coach said Brazil were still a work in progress ahead of a probable meeting with Uruguay.
“We are not ready for what we will face in the World Cup but we’re ready for the (Confederations Cup) semi-final,” said Scolari.
“We have good quality and our tactical game is quite well-established.”
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli agreed with that assessment and rated Brazil, bizarrely ranked 22 in the Fifa rankings, one of the outstanding two teams of the tournament.“I have seen Brazil grow,” said Prandelli, whose side will potentially face world champions Spain in the last four.
“Brazil play precise football and they have four players that attack and that is always decisive. And they are also good at recovering the ball. Along with Spain they are the two strongest teams.”
Italy, meanwhile, tried to look at the bright side after suffering a 4-2 defeat against hosts Brazil at the Confederations Cup that still took them to the tournament’s semi-finals. Italian commentators yesterday stressed the Azzurri’s good second half, which brought them close to a 3-3 draw before Fred’s second goal sealed the Selecao’s win in Salvador.
“Azzurri hold their head high,” stood in block capitals on the front page of La Gazzetta dello Sport, while Il Corriere dello Sport opened with “Italy play the game, but Brazil have Neymar.”
The Brazilian ace fired home a free-kick for 2-1 and got better marks than Mario Balotelli, whose only telling feats were a fast free-kick and a back-heel assist for Emanuele Giaccherini’s equaliser after Dante’s opener.
“World-beaters make the difference” was Fabrizio Bocca’s headline in his comment for la Repubblica, which had “Beaten but not humbled” and “Pride not enough for Italy” headlining two other pieces.
Most commentators criticised the frequent theatricals of Neymar and noted how television replays showed an off-side position on Brazil’s first goal.
Low marks went to captain Gianluigi Buffon, whose goalkeeping appeared far below his par as the defence confirmed flaws first displayed in Wednesday’s 4-3 win over Japan.
Giorgio Chiellini, Buffon’s defence teammate at Italian champions Juventus, was not pleased with the seven goals conceded in the last two games — a far cry from the 24 that Juve suffered from 38 Serie A games.
“They are a little too many,” Chiellini said. “We conceded too many goals from dead balls. We must be more careful and adjust a few things because these are episodes that can change a game.”
Improvement is expected as coach Cesare Prandelli had midfield mainstays Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi out against Brazil, and in the first half had to replace the injured Riccardo Montolivo and Ignazio Abate, whose substitute Christian Maggio nodded against the bar to miss Italy’s third goal.
The Azzurri, who finished second in Group A, will play Thursday’s semi-final in Fortaleza, with world champions Spain as likely opponents as they virtually secured first place in Group B ahead of last night’s game against Nigeria.
Spain hammered the Azzurri 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, a thrashing that Balotelli has not forgotten.
“I have been waiting for Spain for a year,” the AC Milan striker wrote on Facebook, adding “revenge is a dish best served cold. — Soccernet.
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