Pele is receiving end-of-life care after the Brazilian football legend was rerpoted to have been receiving palliative care as he stopped responding to chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer.
According to a report in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S Paulo, Pele’s chemotherapy has been suspended and is being treated only for symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath.
As the news broke, the Netherlands was taking on the United States in the first round of 16 clash.
Qatar showed its support for Pele on Saturday, lighting up buildings with a “Get well soon” message for the Brazil football great.
The Lusail Stadium in Doha, which will host the World Cup final on December 18, and the Aspire Tower next to the Khalifa Stadium, were adorned with pictures of Pele in his famous number 10 shirt.
On the Corniche, the Qatari capital’s seafront promenade, the dozens of drones that come alive each night drew a Brazil shirt with Pele’s name and number 10 on the back.
As for the game itself, Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half and Denzel Dumfries added a late goal as the Netherlands eliminated the United States from the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 victory on Saturday that advanced the Dutch to the quarterfinals.
Second-half substitute Haji Wright cut the U.S. deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute when Christian Pulisic’s cross hit his trailing foot and popped over goalkeeper Andries Noppert and into the net. But Dumfries, who assisted on the first two goals, scored on a volley in the 81st.
“When you play a team with so much quality like that and you give them three, four chances, they’re going to put three or four away,” United States captain Tyler Adams said. “We can show that we can hang with some of the best teams in the world, some of the best players in world, and that’s a lot of progress for U.S. soccer. We’re moving in the right direction, for sure, but we need to keep pushing, because we’re not there yet. But we’re close.”
Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Oranje extended their unbeaten streak to 19 games and face Argentina or Australia on Friday.
It was a disappointing end for a rebuilt U.S. team hoping to advance past the round of 16 for the first time since 2002. Using the second-youngest squad in the tournament, the Americans achieved the bare minimum to consider the World Cup a success, beating Iran in their group-stage finale to reach the knockout round.
But just like in 2010 against Ghana and 2014 against Belgium, the United States was eliminated in the round of 16. The Americans are winless in 12 games against European opponents at the World Cup since 2002, losing six, and are 1-7 during the tournament’s knockout rounds.
“I think we made some progress,” United States coach Gregg Berhalter said. “When people look at our team, they see a clear identity. They see guys that go out and fight for each other. They see the talent on the field. We made progress, but on this particular night we came up short.”
(With inputs from Agenies)
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