SAINT PETERSBURG: Philippe Coutinho and Neymar scored in injury time as Brazil beat Costa Rica 2-0 to edge towards the last 16 of the World Cup on Friday despite another unconvincing performance.
Having been frustrated for almost the entire game, Coutinho poked the ball past Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas one minute into stoppage time before Neymar's volley wrapped up the points for a relieved Brazil.
Brazil had more of the possession and more of the shots in the first hald but they could not turn their dominance into goals.
Gabriel Jesus had the ball in the net after 26 minutes but it was correctly ruled out for offside. Both Philippe Coutinho and Marcelo had long-range shots that whizzed off target, while Celso Borges shot wide from eight metres out for Costa Rica in what was perhaps the best chance of the game
Neymar starts as Tite keeps faith in Brazil stars
Neymar started Brazil's crunch World Cup clash with Costa Rica on Friday as coach Tite kept faith in the side that started a disappointing 1-1 draw to open their campaign against Switzerland.
Corinthians right-back Fagner replaced the injured Danilo in Brazil's only change.
There had been concerns over Neymar's fitness after he limped out of training on Tuesday, two days after receiving rough treatment from the Swiss.
Shaheen got it right, again!
However, Tite insisted on the eve of the game he wasn't running a risk by handing the world's most expensive player just his second competitive start for four months after his club season was ended in February by a broken bone in his right foot.
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Costa Rica also made just one change from their 1-0 defeat by Serbia with former Everton full-back Bryan Oviedo replacing Francisco Calvo on the left side of a five-man defence.
Achilles backs Brazil to beat Costa Rica
razil might have made a slow start to their World Cup campaign but things are looking up, with feline fortune-teller Achilles predicting a win against Costa Rica hours before kick off in St Petersburg on Friday.
Five-times champions Brazil have struggled to get out of the blocks and were held 1-1 by Switzerland in their opening Group E match last week. However, coach Tite can look forward to the team celebrating their first win - if Achilles is to be believed.
Offered a choice of two bowls of food, the clairvoyant cat chose the one with the Brazilian flag. A safe choice, perhaps, given his fellow psychic Timon the meerkat incorrectly predicted that Denmark would beat Australia on Thursday. That game ended 1-1.
Achilles lives in St Petersburg's Hermitage museum and is deaf, which according to his caretakers, helps him go about making predictions without distractions.
"We're sure he has a special gift, because he is deaf we think if he has nothing, then he (must have) something he has received more (of). And this is his gift," said Maria Haltunen, the press secretary of the historical museum.
The white feline is one of many animals trying their hand at predictions, including hippos Milya and Glyasik in Kaliningrad, Spartak the lemur in Yekaterinburg and Harry the otter in Sochi.
Asked who Achilles would back for the title, Haltunen said: "Russia, he is a patriot. Therefore the games where the Russian team was playing were extraordinarily important for us. Our director told us that the most important predictions he has already made."
Brazil (4-3-3)
Alisson Becker; Fagner, Thiago Silva (capt), Joao Miranda, Marcelo; Casemiro, Paulinho, Philippe Coutinho; Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar
Coach: Tite (BRA)
Costa Rica (5-3-2)
Keylor Navas; Cristian Gamboa, Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Bryan Oviedo (capt); Celso Borges, David Guzman, Bryan Ruiz; Johan Venegas, Marcos Urena
Coach: Oscar Ramirez (CRC)
