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RIO DE JANEIRO. — Three matches, four goals and one dream: Brazilian idol Neymar and Argentina star Lionel Messi remain on collision course as the most entertaining World Cup in decades enters the knockout rounds.
The mouth-watering possibility of Brazil and Argentina meeting in the July 13 final has loomed closer ever since the South American giants were kept in opposite sides of the draw.
So far Barcelona teammates Messi and Neymar have done everything in their power to stick to the script, almost single-handedly steering their teams through the first round into the last 16.
Messi, who began the tournament looking to cement his place in the pantheon of the game’s greatest players — if he isn’t there already — has produced man-of-the-match performances in each of his three games.
A jinking individual goal against Bosnia, an inspired injury-time winner against Iran and a two-goal contribution against Nigeria have dispelled the theory that Messi may buckle under the weight of expectation.
“Now we can’t make any mistakes as any error will see us getting knocked out,’’ said Messi after Argentina’s win over Nigeria.
Messi and his teammates now travel to Sao Paulo to face Group E runners-up Switzerland in the last 16 early on Wednesday.
Before that, Brazil’s poster-boy Neymar will aim to inspire the hosts once more when they face an awkward tie with Chile in Belo Horizonte today at 6pm.
Like Messi, Neymar has thrived on the responsibility of being his team’s main man. He scored twice as Brazil came back from 1-0 down against Croatia to win their opening game 3-1, and added two more in the 4-1 rout of Cameroon as Brazil topped Group A.
THE DRAW FOR THE WORLD CUP ROUND OF 16
Today: Brazil v Chile, Belo Horizonte (6pm); Colombia v Uruguay, Rio de Janeiro (10pm).
Tomorrow: Netherlands v Mexico, Fortaleza (6pm); Costa Rica v Greece, Recife (10pm).
Monday: France v Nigeria, Brasilia (6pm); Germany v Algeria, Porto Alegre (10pm).
Tuesday: Argentina v Switzerland, Sao Paulo (6pm); Belgium v USA, Salvador (10pm). — AFP.
Online Reporter