Paranoid Brazil over one 'trauma' but another demon lurks

For a team that has won football's greatest prize -- the World Cup -- more than any other nation, Brazil have a surprising habit of holding on to painful memories with almost masochistic insistence.

Five times the Selecao have lifted the World Cup and eight times they have been champions of South America.

They've even won the secondary Confederations Cup as many times as everyone else put together: four.

But Brazilians can't shake their sporting failures, one of which they put to bed for good on Thursday night in ousting Paraguay on penalties from the Copa America to reach the semi-finals where they will face bitter rivals Argentina.

"You have to get over life's traumas. Today we deservedly rid ourselves of this trauma from two knock-out stages where this team sent us home," said Brazil's veteran full-back Dani Alves after Thursday night's match in Porto Alegre's Gremio Arena.

Following a scoreless 90 minutes, Brazil goalkeeper Alisson saved a penalty from Gustavo Gomez while Derlis Gonzalez hit his effort wide, allowing Gabriel Jesus to score the winning spot kick and send the hosts into the final four.

Yet even the idea of arriving at penalties was cause for panic amongst Brazilians prior to the match as Paraguay had twice before eliminated the Selecao that way from the Copa America -- in 2011 and 2015 -- and both times at this very same stage of the competition.

"We knew today that we had to be very, very strong mentally because we knew we were up against one of the toughest opponents in the Copa America," added the Brazil captain.

"Physical opponents, opponents who don't let the game flow, who are always breaking up the flow in whatever way. It makes it really hard to play but I think we were awesome."
- Humiliated by Germany -
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