Vinicius Junior shone brightly as Brazil kick-started their Copa America journey with a commanding 4-1 victory against Paraguay’s 10-man squad, eliminating them from the competition.
The Real Madrid ace netted twice for the Selecao, who opened the tournament with a lackluster draw against Costa Rica. Savinho and Lucas Paqueta also found the back of the net at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Dorival Junior’s squad edged closer to a quarter-final berth, amassing four points in Group D. They trail Colombia, the group leaders, by two points. A draw in their final group game on Tuesday will secure Brazil’s spot in the last eight.
Conversely, Paraguay’s hopes diminished after Omar Alderete’s spectacular long-range goal became just a consolation, as they faced their second loss in a row. This was worsened by Andres Cubas receiving a red card late in the game.
Brazil had a prime opportunity to open the scoring at the half-hour mark when referee Piero Maza Gomez awarded a penalty. Paqueta’s shot struck Cubas’ arm, but the West Ham midfielder’s penalty went wide.
Brazil broke the deadlock four minutes later with a handsome play ending in Vinicius drilling a shot under keeper Rodrigo Morinigo. They doubled their lead when Savinho tapped in before the break. A stroke of luck made it 3-0 in stoppage time as Alderete’s clearance bounced off the incoming Vinicius into the net.
Three minutes post-halftime, Alderete redeemed himself with a stunning 25-yard volley. Paraguay’s Julio Enciso then forced a save from Alisson Becker during a promising spell by Daniel Garnero’s side.
Any hopes of a Paraguay comeback were dashed in the 64th minute when Mathias Villasanti was penalized for handling Savinho’s shot. Paqueta converted the ensuing penalty.
Paraguay’s woes intensified with nine minutes to go, as Cubas saw red for striking Douglas Luiz.
This match posed a potential tricky situation for Brazil, having drawn their opener with Costa Rica and being historically stuck against Paraguay in recent Copa America meetings.
Despite dominating their first game with 74% possession and 19 shots, Brazil had failed to score. This time, however, they converted four of their six on-target attempts, virtually clinching a quarter-final spot unless Costa Rica can overturn a significant goal difference.
Vinicius soared from a subdued first match to dominate this outing with two goals, 17 dribbles, and the highest number of touches in the opposition’s box.
Savinho, starting after impressing off the bench previously, celebrated his first senior international goal.
Despite their Copa America pedigree, Paraguay faced uphill battles. Their recent form was bleak, and their tendency to lose after conceding first haunted them again, culminating in their exit alongside Jamaica.
