Venezuela tops group as Paraguay holds Brazil
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Shanghai Daily, July 11, 2011
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Brazil's Neymar (near) is challenged by Paraguay's Dario Veron during their match in the first round of the Copa America soccer tournament in Cordoba, July 9, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
Substitute Fred struck in a last-minute equalizer to give holder Brazil a 2-2 draw with Paraguay before unfancied Venezuela upset Ecuador 1-0 to go top of Group B at the Copa America on Saturday.
Midfielder Cesar Gonzalez scored the goal that stunned Ecuador and put Venezuela two points clear of Brazil and Paraguay with one match to go in their group.
Brazil, for whom playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso laid on both goals with similar defense-splitting passes, took the lead six minutes before halftime at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba.
Midfielder Ramires gained possession at the breakdown of a Paraguay attack and fed Ganso, who touched the ball perfectly through to Jadson and he wasted no time shooting from the edge of the area.
Roque Santa Cruz equalized 11 minutes after the interval when the Brazilian defense failed to clear Marcelo Estigarribia's cross from the left into the middle of the box and the striker shot into the bottom corner past Julio Cesar.
Paraguay went ahead 12 minutes later when the ever-dangerous Estigarribia robbed Daniel Alves on the left of the area and squared to the middle where substitute Nelson Haedo Valdez's shot came off Lucio but he put it away at the second attempt.
Brazil snatched the equalizer when striker Fred took a perfect through pass into the box from Ganso and fired low past 'keeper Justo Villar.
Tight tournament
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino, rather than ruing Brazil's late equalizer, said he was pleased with the progress shown by his team in a tight tournament since it reached the last eight at the 2010 World Cup.
"Beyond the result, I can say that after two matches here, we have played better than in the World Cup and we have fewer points," Argentine Martino told the post-match news conference.
The goal by midfielder Jadson, replacing Robinho in the only change to Brazil's side from the 0-0 draw with Venezuela in La Plata last Sunday, was the first in the group after the opening two matches had finished scoreless.
At the Padre Ernesto Martearena Stadium in Salta, Venezuela footballers took another big step in shaking off their tag as a baseball nation, by deservedly beating Ecuador for only their third-ever win in the competition.
"Maestrico" (Little Master) Gonzalez scored the only goal just past the hour when he fired in a shot from outside the box past static goalkeeper Marcelo Elizaga.
Venezuela's victory means that, with one round remaining, all 12 teams still have a mathematical chance of reaching the quarterfinals. At that point, almost anything might happen en route to the July 24 final with Colombia, Chile, Peru, Uruguay or Venezuela all in the mix, apart from Brazil and host Argentina.
