Textos Mastigados: Brazil edge past North Korea

Tempo de leitura: menos de 1 minuto

by CNN

Five-time winners [pentacampeão] Brazil opened their World Cup campaign [fez sua estreia na Copa do Mundo] with a nervy 2-1 victory [uma vitória tensa por 2 a 1] over [sobre] a spirited [animada, impetuosa] North Korea in Johannesburg.

Cf. Vocabulário: Pentacampeão

In a contest [disputa] between the tournament’s highest and lowest ranked teams [entre o primeiro e o último time no ranking do torneio], Brazil were unable [não conseguiu] to break down [marcar] the Asian side [no time asiático] in a goalless first half [em um primeiro tempo sem gols], but right-back [lateral direito] Maicon settled their nerves [acalmou os nervos (dos brasileiros)] with a ferocious strike [pancada (inf.), paulada (inf.)] from a tight angle [quase sem ângulo].

Cf. Artigo: Maicon

Elano’s crisp finish [arremate certeiro] from [depois de receber] a defense-splitting Robinho pass [passe de Robinho pelo meio da zaga] gave the South Americans a 2-0 lead [vantagem] but Ji Yun-nam fired past [bateu, chutou no canto de] Julio Cesar to give North Korea a deserved consolation goal [um merecido gol de honra].

Brazil 2-1 North Korea

Brazil were expected [Esperava-se que o Brasil] to win with ease [fosse vencer com facilidade] against a side making their first appearance in the tournament [disputava sua primeira Copa] since 1966 [desde 1966], but the North Koreans made life difficult [dificultaram a vida] for their illustrious opponents [seus ilustres adversários].

The first half was a story of resolute defending [defesa determinada] by the Asians in the face of [diante de] wave after wave [pressão; ondas e mais ondas (lit.)] of Brazil attacks.

Brazil struggled [teve dificuldades] to get behind [entrar na] the Korean defense [defesa] and most of their shots [chutes a gol, tiros a gol] came from outside the area with both Elano and Robinho wayward [errando (o alvo); erráticos (lit.)] with early efforts [nas primeiras tentativas].

On the few occasions [Nas raras vezes] that Brazilian players did make it to the byline [chegaram de fato à linha de fundo], their crosses [cruzamentos] were blocked [foram cortados] by committed and skilful pieces of defending [por uma defesa sólida e determinada].

The second period [etapa] started in similar fashion [de maneira semelhante], with Robinho and Michel Bastos both missing from range [errando chutes de fora da área] before the opening goal [primeiro gol] finally arrived in the 55th minute [aos 10 minutos do segundo tempo].

Elano picked out [viu, percebeu] the overlapping run [a passagem de, a corrida de] of Maicon and the right-back slashed [disparou] a swerving shot [um chute com efeito] inside the goalkeeper’s near post [no primeiro pau].

Brazil’s second goal owed everything to [só saiu graças a] a perfectly measured pass [um passe sob medida] through the defense [pelo meio da defesa] by Robinho to his former Manchester City team-mate [ex-companheiro de Manchester City] Elano, who produced a crisp side-footed finish [chutou firme de chapa] into the far corner [cruzado].

Dunga‘s men [os homens de Dunga] were given a late scare [levaram um susto no final] when North Korea crafted a fine goal [conseguiu marcar um belo gol].

Cf. Como se diz “Dunga” em inglês?

A long ball [passe longo] was headed [foi desviado de cabeça] into the path of [na direção de] Ji Yun-nam, who raced into the area and lashed a shot past [disparou no canto de] Julio Cesar.

“I believe [Acho que] the first match [jogo] is always trying [difícil], there was a lot of nervousness [nervosismo], and anxiety,” Brazil coach [técnico, treinador] Dunga told AFP. “We all want to score [marcar] and not concede [levar] any goals. I am not entirely happy [100% satisfeito] with the result, we weren’t passing [tocar a bola] as quickly as I would have liked [com a rapidez que eu gostaria]. But the spirit [mentalidade, disposição, força de vontade] of these players is strong and they are willing [estão dispostos] to learn.”

North Korea coach Kim Jong Hun was proud [sentiu orgulho] of his players and sees reason for encouragement [está otimista] ahead of their remaining games [nos próximos jogos] against Portugal and Ivory Coast [Costa do Marfim].

“We managed to [Conseguimos] fend them off [neutralizá-los] whether they were attacking down the wings [pelas laterais, alas, flancos] or through the middle,” he said. “We didn’t win [Não vencemos], but we have picked up [adquirimos, ganhamos] some confidence [confiança] and I think we will do well [teremos bom desempenho] in the next two games.”

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