With the dazzle steps of a pack of world class players led by FIFA's Player of the Year in 2006 Marta, Brazil have proved themselves too strong for Australia.
The Brazilians played down the rivals' late comebacks and won the quarterfinal 3-2 arguably to eliminate the knockout-stage new-comers at the women's World Cup here on Sunday.
Cristiane left-footed to bring the ball into the penalty box and turned about to beat Australia goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri for scoring in the 75 minute with a tight encirclement of two defenders on her left, one on right and another one rushing up from right front in trying to clear her shot.
The late goal released coach Jorge Barcellos from a worry of losing the do-or-die match after dominating it for most of the time and being tied by Australia halfway into the second half.
"We tuned our tactics after being tied 2-2 and it finally worked out," said Barcellos, who seemed quite satisfied with the performance from his players as well as the result.
"Australia have been shifting and quick in attacks, and they defended solidly," he added.
His team has made their rival players convinced and so did to the Australian coach Tom Sermanni.
"Brazil is the better team to win, though we gave them scare during the match," he said.
"We were still a little bit unlucky. But we have young players, preparing for the next World Cup," he added. "Brazil got outstanding players and my players were not concentrating in the whole 90 minutes."
Thanks to a powerful long shot from 29-year-old forward Formiga, Brazil opened the scoring after just 4 minutes into the game and later improved it to 2-0 on penalty before an half-hour equalizer from Australia's Super Substitute Lisa de Vanna to cut their lead to 2-1 at break.
It's another forward of the Brazilian team's attacking trio, Cristiane, who got the ball on 4 minutes after Marta set it from the left but found no body near around.
Being picked by the pass from the right wing's Cristiane, Formiga took a fine control of the ball and drove it from 25 meters away to narrowly deny the bar and swing into the net.
Formiga's goal just announced the beginning of Brazil's series of attacking waves. Within the following ten minutes, they built up three scoring opportunities with Marta once and Cristiane twice.
In the 23rd minute, Renata Costa was tackled down while breaking through into the penalty box by Kate McShea, who was substituted onto the pitch to take the place of injured skipper Cheral Salisbury, and Marta shot the penalty into the right far corner of the goalmouth.
Australia's first comeback goal came on 36 minutes when Lisa de Vanna, who had pocketed three goals in the group stage after coming on to the pitch from the bench in as many three games, scored at her first appearance as a starter in the tournament.
The 1.56-meter striker stole the ball in the Brazilians' half on a mistake of the rivals' defending and tricked goalie Andreia to get out of her position before netting the empty mouth.
There's one reason for Sermanni to put her in the starting lineup. "She scored 3 goals in 3 games, so why should I have her on the bench," he said.
Lauren Colthorpe contributed the surprising equalizer for Australia in the 68 minute, as the 22-year-old midfielder headed in a left wing air pass to beat the Brazilian keeper Andreia.
After Cristiane's victory-sealing goal, Marta could have further improved the scoreline for Brazil to 4-2 in the 84 minute when the 21-year-old striker, playing for Sweden's Umea, made a fabulous free kick of swinging out the ball with her left foot keeping still firmly on the ground, but her shot was denied by the bar.
In the semifinals, Brazil, whose best result from the previous world cups was the third place in 1999, will take twice winners the United States in Hangzhou on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua
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