BRA - Brazil rue missed opportunity

IBIRAPUERA (2006 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Brazil coach Antonio Carlos Barbosa has criticised his team for spurning the chance to reach the FIBA World Championship final.

The 88-76 defeat came about after Brazil threw away a nine-point advantage, which had Barbosa enraged.

"In a first-class game, to waste this kind of advantage is lethal," he told GloboEsporte.com.

"Australia are an excellent team and we shouldn't have allowed them to recover in the game.

"Our team was, for a while, apathetic and a bit unconnected, which resulted in a technical decrease of their performance."

Alessandra, meanwhile, explained that Australia's defence completely inhibited Brazil attack in the fourth period of the game.

"We found it very difficult to take the correct decision in that moment," she said. 

"Australia were everywhere on the court, always pressuring us. It is a pity, because we failed to have the chance to play the final at home", the centre added in tears and announcing that this World Championship is likely to be the last of her career.

Iziane, Brazil's leading scorer with 16 points, was critical of her and her team-mates, saying: "We wasted an unique chance in our careers.

"We had a good advantage but we let it go. Then, we could not manage to take control of the game again."

PA Sport