I only fear death, not sacking: Brazil coach Dunga

Foxborough (Massachusetts), June 13 (IANS) Brazil's football team head coach Dunga has said he does not fear losing his job despite his side's shocking exit from the group stage of the Copa America Centenario.

A controversial hand-ball goal saw Peru take the lead against the five-time world champions on Sunday night and they held on till the last minute to ensure a 1-0 victory.

Brazil played three games in Group B, drawing against Ecuador, thumping Haiti and losing to Peru.

Brazil, who had reached the tournament quarter-finals in every Copa America since 1993, needed only a draw to advance.

The loss has raised questions over Dunga's position at the helm with many critics slamming the gaffer for his tactics.

"Logically when there is a loss, there's always a cost but I'm also sure that the fans saw that the game, especially the first half, and saw how Brazil was eliminated," Dunga was quoted as saying by mlssoccer.com.

"There is only one thing that I fear and that's death, that's the only thing I fear. It's a job, we're trying. After the World Cup, we rebuilt," added the 52-year-old, who is into his second job at the helm of the national team 'Selecao'.

"We gave Germany 14 years and in Brazil in one or two years we want everything to be resolved easily," he said, referring to the overhaul made in Germany's football structure after disastrous performances in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 before they reaped the rewards in the 2014 World Cup title.

Dunga also pointed out that Germany ripped apart Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final 7-1, marking one of the greatest disasters in the South American country's football history.

The coach also used only one of his three substitutes that were available to him even after going a goal down. Asked about it, Dunga said: ,"I didn't make changes because the team was working well. We tried to add a lot more power, we were creating chances."

Speaking on his team's performance, he remarked: "In the first half we had good combination play, what was missing was to decide the game with the chances we created.

"We knew that Peru was going to play for a one-goal game, to try for a set play, a counter-attack, we tried to neutralize that."

--IANS

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