By Yepoka Yeebo
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LITTLE BRAZIL − Fans who'd been rooting for Brazil to win it all tried to be philosophical about their team's World Cup disaster Friday, consoling themselves in Little Brazil with copious amounts of analysis and caipirinhas, the potent national cocktail.
The Brazilian team lost to the Netherlands, 2-1, in a dramatic match in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Thousands of miles away in Midtown, fans in Little Brazil, vuvuzelas in hand, watched the heated game and felt the crushing defeat.
"I'm a big Brazil fan -- I was screaming," said Marjorie Chawla, 14, who was too young to imbibe, but nonetheless described herself as devastated.
Chawla said Holland's strong attack had exploited the Brazilian team's defensive shortcomings.
"It's like they lost the belief that they could win," she said.
Chawla, who said she visits Brazil every summer, said World Cup wins are always greeted with parties and dancing in the streets. But when Brazil loses, she said, the streets are desolate because most fans are home, crying.
Ana Toledo, a drinking-age Brazilian-American who lives in Astoria, Queens, said she was happy for the Netherlands.
"It's a pleasure to win against Brazil," she said.
"The Netherlands conquered us and they deserved" the victory, she added.
"We've been drinking caipirinhas since 9.30 in the morning," she said sadly, "and we'll be drinking until 2014" and the next World Cup.
Another fan, Caio Cruz, said he was also not bothered by the defeat because the World Cup was headed for Brazil in 2014.
"It's going to be great," he said.
