Brazil’s coach, Dorival Junior, remains optimistic about his squad’s prospects at the Copa America despite their lackluster opener.
In their first tussle in Group D, Brazil only managed a nil-nil stalemate with Costa Rica, dominating play but failing to convert, evidenced by 19 shots with only three on mark.
With Colombia securing a victory against Paraguay, Brazil feels the heat to up their game in their next showdown on Friday.
Dorival called for serenity and some persistence from the team.
He reflected in a press meet, “The result of the previous match wasn’t what we hoped, despite our dominant performance. It’s crucial to value our efforts in how we cornered our adversaries defensively.”
“I stand by our strategy and the strides we are making. Though our journey is in its infancy, our progress is steady,” he added.
“Staying collected, steady, and confident is essential. Constantly questioning our methods will only lead us astray,” he advised.
“Adapting takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Each game reveals more positives than negatives, not just the recent one,” Dorival noted.
Brazil must enhance their attack after their opening performance.
They led the pack with 695 passes, the highest in the competition’s first bout.
However, historical outcomes between Brazil and Paraguay hint at potential challenges, as their past four Copa America encounters have all ended in draws — the longest drawing streak for any two teams in the tournament.
