Vinícius Júnior scored two first-half objectives to guide Brazil to a 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday night time and put itself in place to advance out of Group D within the Copa América.
Sávio additionally scored a first-half aim for Brazil and Lucas Paquetá scored on a penalty kick within the second half. Omar Alderete scored Paraguay’s aim.
There have been loads of tense moments with 5 yellow playing cards and a pink handed out. Andrés Cubas was despatched off for a pink card within the 81st minute, forcing Paraguay to play the final a part of the match down a person.
The victory was fairly a response for the Seleção, who opened the match Tuesday with a scoreless draw in opposition to Costa Rica regardless of outshooting their opponent 18-2. It was additionally a major response from Vinícius, after he was criticized following his efficiency in opposition to Costa Rica for failing to breed his Actual Madrid kind for his nation.
“I at all times say that I by no means play for myself, I’ll at all times play for my workforce,” Vinícius stated in an on-field interview following the sport. “After I’m enjoying for Brazil I play for my nation, I at all times attempt to do the very best issues but it surely’s not at all times doable.
“And at this time I managed to play an important recreation on the degree of a participant that I’m. And I do know that I can nonetheless enhance quite a bit to assist the Brazilian workforce, to assist this workforce that works exhausting day by day to have the ability to put Brazil within the place it deserves. We’ll proceed to work exhausting to realize this aim, which is to win the Copa América.”
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP through Getty Photographs
With 4 factors, Brazil is 2 behind group chief Colombia, which defeated Costa Rica 3-0 earlier Friday. A victory or tie by Brazil in opposition to Colombia on Tuesday ensures one of many group’s two spots within the knockout stage. Brazil additionally has a six-goal differential benefit over Costa Rica, so a loss probably will not preserve out the nine-time Copa América champions.
Brazil has had its difficulties in opposition to Paraguay in Copa América play, having drawn of their earlier 5 conferences. That tied for the second-longest unbeaten streak in opposition to Brazil on this match, which Paraguay additionally was a part of from 1963-83.
However Brazil gained the latest assembly, defeating Paraguay 4-0 two years in the past in World Cup qualifying, and there was little doubt concerning the consequence of this match after two late objectives broke it open in what was a contentious finish to the primary half.
Moments after teammate Bruno Guimarães hit the crossbar, Sávio put Brazil up 2-0 within the forty third minute.
Each groups received right into a scrum in stoppage time, with Chilean referee Piero Maza Gomez handing yellow playing cards to Wendell and Balbuena at three-plus minutes. Then Vinícius delivered the crushing blow 5 minutes into added time
Paraguay had its probabilities and even outshot Brazil 8-5, together with 4-3 on aim. Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker made an amazing save diving to his proper to forestall a aim from Damián Bobodilla quarter-hour into the match.
Early within the second half, nevertheless, Alderete scored to shut the deficit to 3-1.
Then 17 minutes later, Paqueta made up for a missed penalty kick within the first half by changing to present again Brazil its three-goal lead.
Brazil coach Dorival Júnior made a daring and controversial transfer by deciding to not begin Raphinha. The transfer, with nationwide workforce legend Neymar watching from the stands, clearly paid off.
Raphinha was a late-game substitute, getting into the match on the 72nd minute instead of Sávio.
Data from The Related Press contributed to this report.