Brazil celebrates rival Argentina´s World Cup defeat

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilians bitter about their team´s disastrous World Cup celebrated Argentina´s defeat to Germany in the final Sunday by dancing and launching fireworks, relieved that their arch-rivals failed to triumph on their soil.

In Brasilia and Sao Paulo, fireworks exploded after Mario Goetze scored in extra-time to give the Germans a last-gasp victory at Rio de Janeiro´s Maracana Stadium.

At a bar near the stadium, Brazilians chanted "Cry! Cry! Argentina!" in a nod to the song "Don´t cry for me Argentina."

Tens of thousands of Argentine fans who had swarmed Rio´s Copacabana Beach to watch the game on a jumbo screen fell silent while Brazilians broke into song and danced. Some even waved German flags. "Thank God, thank God that Germany won," said Caio Ferraz, 45, a Brazilian looking up at the stars on the legendary beach.

"If Argentina had won, they would have made fun of us for years," said Ferraz, who wore the jersey of Rio club Flamengo, whose red and black stripes match Germany´s away jersey.

Tensions rose with some fights reportedly breaking out between Brazilians and Argentines in Copacabana and outside the Maracana.Police used tear gas to disperse fans near the stadium, the G1 news website reported.

In Copacabana, some 50 people tossed beach chairs and bottles at each other, causing several injuries, according to local media.

Germany became the first European country to win the Cup in Latin America, but that was not enough to convince many Brazilians to support their southern neighbors.