Star forward Neymar on Sunday netted a penalty and created a second as hosts Brazil eased to a 3-0 victory over a depleted Venezuela in the opening match of the Copa America.
Centerback Marquinhos opened the scored midway through the first half and Gabriel Barbosa sealed the Group B win a minute from time.
In a tournament already delayed by one year, and moved from its original hosts Argentina and Colombia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was fitting that the coronavirus should take center stage right up to the tournament kickoff.
Photo: AFP
Played at an empty Estadio Mane Garrincha in Brasilia due to COVID-19 restrictions, Brazil made light of the continent’s minnows, who arrived with a makeshift side missing eight players who were ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19 the day before.
Venezuela called up 15 emergency replacements, but could still only name seven out of a possible 12 substitutes.
“It’s not just being without key players, we didn’t have time to prepare better for this team,” Venezuela coach Jose Peseiro said.
The game went ahead and, predictably, reigning champions Brazil were well on top.
“The three points are important. We had to start well regardless of our rivals having players out,” Brazil captain Casemiro said.
Edwin Cardona scored the only goal of the game as Colombia held on under second-half pressure to begin their Group B campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador — who thrashed them 6-1 the last time the sides met in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in November last year.
Colombia’s goal was a thing of beauty, with Cardona taking a short free-kick to Juan Cuadrado, who chipped the ball into the penalty area for Miguel Borja to head down into the path of Cardona, who volleyed home.
It was initially disallowed for offside, but a review showed that while three Colombia players were beyond the defensive line, Cardona and Borja were onside.
Ecuador came close to a second-half equalizer through Pervis Estupinan, but Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina brilliantly tipped his free-kick around the post.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two