RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Copa America kicked off this Sunday in Brasilia, demonstrating the clear supremacy of the Brazilian national team. Under the leadership of Neymar, it defeated 3-0 a Venezuelan team decimated by the lack of players. Later, Colombia brought the curtain down on the day with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador.
Peru, which had a rest this Sunday, makes its debut in the tournament this Thursday. It will be matched against the host team, which today was led by a mature and pragmatic Neymar. The star scored the second goal of the match, his 67th with the Canarinha, a record that leaves him 10 away from those scored by the country’s top scorer in international matches, Pelé.
The Venezuelan team could well have been better, because twenty-four hours before the match played this Sunday in Brasilia, twelve of its called-up players were infected with covid-19. This forced the Portuguese coach José Peseiro, to call up fifteen more players as a matter of urgency.
“We are never happy when we lose, but I am very proud of these guys. It was an important day and everyone knew the difficulties. We could not do more. We wanted to dignify the Copa America and the national team,” said the Vinotinto coach after the match.
Center-back Marquinhos gave Brazilian coach Tite’s men the lead in the 23rd minute and the first half saw a Venezuelan team well grouped in defense.
The match fell to the home side after Neymar’s penalty goal in the 64th minute, and when everything seemed a foregone conclusion, Gabigol appeared in the 89th minute to put the finishing touches to the game.
The next matchday of Group B, this Thursday, will put Brazil on a collision course with Peru, while the Venezuelans will face Colombia, which debuted this Sunday with a narrow victory over Ecuador, which will have a rest in the next matchday.
With a goal by Edwin Cardona, Colombia won 1-0 over Ecuador this Sunday at the Arena Pantanal stadium in Cuiabá in the second match of Group B. Colombia follows Brazil in the standings on goal difference, with the same 3 points.
The goal was scored in the 42nd minute in a play between Juan Cuadrado, Miguel Borja and Edwin Cardona.
Cardona himself started the action on a free kick that was passed to Cuadrado, who in turn filtered the ball from the right to Borja who headed the ball into the heart of the box to the Boca Juniors midfielder, who beat goalkeeper Pedro Ortiz for the 1-0.
The goal was disallowed by Argentine referee Néstor Pitana for offside, but after a VAR review it was validated.
Group A action will begin this Monday.
The teams from Argentina and Chile will meet in Rio de Janeiro and those from Paraguay and Bolivia in the city of Goiania.
Uruguay will watch the action on television and will debut against the Argentines next Friday in Brasilia.