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Brazil lucky to enter FIFA WC quarter-finals, says Coach Scolari

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ANI London

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has accepted that his team was lucky to enter the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup by beating Chile on penalties in the pre-quarter final late on Saturday night.

Scolari said that his side was guilty of not exploiting the few opportunities (13) that it had got to score during the duration of the match.

"We almost paid the price in the 118th minute when the ball hit the bar," said Scolari, whose side triumphed 3-2 in a shoot-out at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, after a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes and extra time.

 

Scolari said that the team has made it a mission to be World Cup champions again, and the onus was on the squad to deliver on the promise.

He said that there are three more games to reach "heaven," (the finals and win).

Earlier, Brazil squandered several chances, converting just one of 13 attempts on target due to poor finishing and good goalkeeping by Chile's Claudio Bravo.

And they survived when Chile substitute Mauricio Pinilla crashed a shot off the woodwork with penalties approaching.

In the shoot-out, Willian and Hulk both missed for the tournament hosts, but goalkeeper Julio Cesar made two crucial saves from Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez before Gonzalo Jara hit the post when he had to score to keep Chile in it.

Scolari said Chile was brilliant in its well-organised attack on Brazil.

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First Published: Jun 29 2014 | 10:00 AM IST

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