TNT Sports
Brazil stutter past Chile
By
Published 09/07/2004 at 12:08 GMT+1
World champions Brazil reluctantly took the stage at the Copa America on Thursday and ground out a 1-0 win over Chile. Elsewhere in Group C, Paraguay beat Costa Rica by the same score. The two matches were a huge anti-climax after the heady heights of the
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Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira had openly protested last month at the timing of the Copa and showed his displeasure by resting big names such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Kaka and Cafu.
Parreira is unhappy because the tournament falls in the middle of South American World Cup qualifying competition and during the off-season for his European-based players.
Brazil's improvised side struggled to find any cohesion in a niggly match and left it until the 90th minute when Luis Fabiano, who also scored in last month's 1-1 draw in Santiago, popped up to head in his fourth goal in five internationals.
Chile missed a twice-taken first-half penalty, striker Sebastian Gonzalez confidently blasting home the first effort but then firing his second attempt towards the Andes when the referee ordered a retake after his team mates encroached.
Brazil's display was a pallid effort compared to Argentina's 6-1 demolition of Ecuador the night before but Parreira was not displeased.
"It wasn't an exceptional performance but we can better as the competition goes on," he said.
PINTO DEBUT
Paraguay, fielding the under-23 team they will take to Athens for next month's Olympics, also left it late, an 85th minute penalty from halftime substitute Julio dos Santos giving them the points against the Central Americans.
Paraguay gradually found their way after a dismal first half performance against a well-organised Costa Rican side, who were playing their first game under new coach Jorge Luis Pinto.
Colombian Pinto replaced U.S. coach Steve Sampson, who resigned after the Ticos needed away goals to scrape past Cuba in their preliminary round World Cup qualifier last month.
Fielding their under-23 team in preparation for the Athens Olympics Games, Paraguay struggled to string any moves together for much of the game.
By contrast, Costa Rica surprised Paraguay with their brisk passing and the attacking duo of Andy Herron and Ronald Gomez posed a constant threat.
Gomez came close to breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute when his fierce left-footed half-volley was parried at the second attempt by Paraguay goalkeeper Diego Barreto.
At the other end, Ernesto Cristaldo squandered two free kicks by shooting high and wide from good positions. As the first half degenerated into a midfield dogfight, neither side seemed able to producing the free-scoring entertainment seen in the opening games in Groups A and B.
But the arrival of substitute Dos Santos provided attacking penetration down the right flank, and Paraguay created a string of attacking opportunities.
Costa Rica looked to have earned their draw until Paraguay substitute Fredy Barreiro collapsed at the lightest of touches by Mauricio Wright and Colombian referee Oscar Ruiz awarded the decisive penalty.
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