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Coutinho brace helps Brazil forget Neymar in winning Copa start
SAO PAULO, June 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A brace from Philippe Coutinho handed
hosts Brazil a winning start to the Copa America on Friday in a 3-0 victory
over Bolivia as the absence of superstar Neymar was quickly forgotten.
Barcelona’s Coutinho scored from the penalty spot early in the second half
and added a close-range header three minutes later.
Substitute Everton netted a sensational third five minutes from time to
clinch victory for coach Tite’s tournament favorites in Sao Paulo.
The build up to the competition had been dominated by Neymar’s woes,
firstly when he was accused of rape by a Brazilian model, and then when he
damaged ankle ligaments in a friendly last week, forcing him out of the Copa.
If Brazil’s first half performance was anything to go by, the Paris Saint-
Germain star was sorely missed, but Coutinho’s brace at least papered over
the cracks of an at times disjointed performance.
Brazil made a bright start and predictably dominated the early possession
and chances.
But surprisingly their greatest threat came from set-pieces with
Coutinho’s corner delivery causing panic in the Bolivian backline.
Bolivia’s goalkeeper Carlos Lampe made an instinctive block from a Roberto
Firmino flick that came straight at him.
And a few minutes later, towering center-half Thiago Silva was left
unmarked eight yards out to meet another Coutinho delivery, but he
inexplicably headed well wide.
The pitch at the Morumbi stadium wasn’t helping flowing football, with
Bolivia in particular struggling to string passes together.
Brazil, wearing white shirts and blue shorts, weaved almost geometric
patterns around their unambitious visitors but struggled to test Lampe.
Their best chances came from Bolivian mistakes and Richarlison should have
scored into an open goal when a woeful Lampe clearance went straight to him,
but the Everton forward failed to lift the ball over defender Adrian Jusino,
who headed clear from the edge of the 18-yard box.
– Barrage of jeers –
With 10 men behind the ball, Bolivia were proving hard to break down but
Casemiro went close with what appeared to be a shanked cross that drifted
just beyond Lampe’s far post with the goalkeeper scrambling to cover it.
Tite’s team were treated to a barrage of jeers from the 67,000 crowd when
the half-time whistle went.
Bolivia’s best moment had perhaps been a cheeky nutmeg of Casemiro by Raul
Castro on the edge of his own 18-yard box. It had been slim pickings.
Fans’ spirits were quickly lifted after the restart, though, as Coutinho
fired home from the spot on 50 minutes after a contentious penalty award.
Richarlison’s attempted cross struck Jusino’s arm, which was by his side
and only slightly away from his body, but after consulting the video
assistant referee, Argentine handler Nestor Pitana pointed to the spot.
Bolivia were stunned and just three minutes later their defence went
missing as Firmino reached the bye line and chipped the ball to the back post
for Coutinho to head home from barely two yards out.
Reluctant to push men forward, Bolivia never looked like getting back into
the match.
And Coutinho’s corners continued to present Brazil with their best
chances, as Marquinhos headed straight at Lampe from seven yards with 15
minutes left.
The game had slowed to almost walking pace when substitute Everton scored
a sensational third, cutting in from the left wing before firing an
unstoppable shot into the far corner with Lampe rooted to the spot.
BSS/AFP/SSS/0849 hrs