Neymar powers Brazil over host US
Brazil playmaker Neymar scored one goal and set up two more to spark the five-time World Cup champions past the United States 4-1 on Wednesday in an international football friendly.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: May 31, 2012 01:46 PM IST
Brazil playmaker Neymar scored one goal and set up two more to spark the five-time World Cup champions past the United States 4-1 on Wednesday in an international football friendly.
The Brazilians used the match to study talent ahead of the London Olympics while the Americans prepared for next week's start of their qualifying for the 2014 Brazil World Cup by facing a young squad with 17 Olympic-eligible players.
A crowd of 67,619 saw the Brazilians end a five-match win streak for the Americans, who enjoyed a 1-0 victory over host Italy in February and a 5-1 rout of Scotland last Saturday in their run.
The Brazilians improved to 16-1 all-time against the Americans, winning for the ninth time in a row since suffering their only defeat, by 1-0, in 1998.
Neymar opened the scoring on a penalty in the 12th minute after US defender Oguchi Onyewu was whistled for blocking a shot with his left forearm at the top of the penalty area.
The Santos striker, a 20-year-old forward who has attracted interest from several of the world's top clubs, went to the spot against US goalkeeper Tim Howard, a standout for Everton in the Premier League.
Howard dived to his right as Neymar fired into the open side, netting his ninth goal in 17 matches for Brazil's Selecao national side.
The Brazilian side of coach Mano Menezes took a 2-0 edge in the 26th minute when Neymar lofted a corner kick into the heart of the penalty area and Brazilian captain Thiago Silva headed the ball into the goal.
Herculez Gomez, a striker for Santos of Mexico, struck back for the hosts in the 45th minute, taking a cross from onrushing defender Fabian and deflecting the ball past Brazil goalkeeper Rafael to trim the deficit to 2-1 at half-time.
Neymar set up Brazil's third goal from the backline to the right of Howard, flicking a backward centering pass to Real Madrid defender Marcelo, who blasted the ball past a helpless Howard in the 52nd minute for a 3-1 Brazil lead.
Fulham striker Clint Dempsey, coming off a groin injury, replaced Landon Donovan for the Americans in the 56th minute and had a solid scoring chance that was cleared off the line in the 62nd minute by Brazil midfielder Romula.
Brazil closed the scoring in the 88th minute on a left-footed blast by AC Milan's Alexandre Pato.
The Americans play their final qualifying tuneup match on Sunday against Canada at Toronto and begin their 18-month World Cup qualifying effort on June 8 against Antigua an Barbuda at Tampa, Florida.