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BRAZIL 0-0 VENEZUELA
Full-time: The Brazilian fans jeer loudly as the referee blows the final whistle. Brazil were expected to win this game with ease, but Venezuela defended expertly and gained a deserved draw. For Brazil, it is a disappointing start, and they will have to improve quickly. Check back at Sambafoot for all the news and reaction, and thanks for joining us!
90+4′: Lucena is booked for timewasting.
90+2′: Neymar turns brilliantly several times out on the left side of the Venezuelan final third, but his low cross is collected by Vega.
90′: We will have three minutes of added time.
88′: Andre Santos drags a shot across the area from the left hand side but no Brazilian player can get a touch on it and it rolls harmlessly wide.
87′: Venezuela make their final change as Di Giorgi comes on for Gonzalez.
85′: Brazil are struggling to create anything and Venezuela look comfortable at the back at the moment.
81′: Less than ten minutes remaining and it is still Brazil 0-0 Venezuela.
78′: The Seleção are seeing launching crosses into the Venezuela box, but they are causing Vega no trouble, and Brazil need to do more to score. Maldonado replaces Miku for Venezuela as Elano fires over from range.
76′: Brazil use their final two substitutions, with Pato replaced by Lucas Moura, and Ramires, who has picked up a knock, replaced by Elano. Pato’s departure receives some jeers from the Brazil fans.
74′: Miku finds Arango just inside the area, but the midfielder drags his shot wide of Julio Cesar’s left hand post.
71′: Cichero finds Miku inside the penalty area, but Thiago Silva slides in well to clear. Moments later, Cesar Gonzalez fires a weak shot straight at Julio Cesar.
68′: Argentina drew with Bolivia on Friday night in the opening game of the tournament. Are we going to see another draw between a favourite and a minnow?
67′: Fred almost makes an immediate impact, almost getting on the end of a through ball in the 18-yard box, but the referee blows for a foul.
65′: Brazil also make a change, with Fred replacing Robinho.
64′: Cesar Gonzalez gets a yellow card for lunging in on Neymar. Rondon is replaced by Alejandro Moreno for Venezuela.
63′: Ramires finds Neymar with a cut back in the box, but the latter’s shot is blocked, before the ball finds Ramires again who is caught offside.
62′: Rondon goes down in the area looking for a penalty, but the referee does not fall for his simulation and books the Malaga striker.
59′: The Brazil fans almost had more booing to do, as Rondon just fails to leap high enough to get a touch on a cross from Arango, with Julio Cesar waiting behind him to catch the ball.
58′: Neymar’s cross-cum-shot rolls comfortably into the arms of Vega. A few boos can be heard from the Brazilian fans.
55′: Venezuela play a corner short but Rincon’s cross is comfortably caught by Julio Cesar. At the other end, Pato is almost in with a scoring chance but his touch lets him down and the ball runs through to Vega.
53′: Brazil have struggled in the opening games at their last three major tournaments, scraping wins against Croatia and North Korea in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups respectively and losing to Mexico in the 2007 Copa America. Can they grind out a win here?
51′: The second period has begun similarly to the first, with plenty of possession for Brazil but composed defending by Venezuela preventing them from creating clear cut chances.
46′: Brazil kick off the second half.
Half-time: Brazil are out and ready for the second half but we are still waiting for Venezuela. Neither side have made any substitutions at the break.
Half-time: The second half is coming up shortly. Can Brazil finally find the breakthrough against a determined Venezuela backline?
45+2′: The referee blows for half-time. Brazil have been the better side and should be in front, but due to a combination of solid defending from Venezuela and poor finishing from the Seleção it remains Brazil 0-0 Venezuela. Join us in approximately 15 minutes for the second half.
45′: Neymar! The young striker has a good chance to open the scoring, but his shot is deflected away for a corner. There will be one minute of added time at the end of the first half.
40′: Replays show that a penalty against Vizcarrondo would have been harsh after a brilliant piece of last ditch defending from the Venezuelan.
39′: Brazil should be in front! Neymar plays in Robinho, who sidefoots past Vega, but Vizcarrondo blocks the ball on the line. The Brazilian players think he used his hand and want a penalty, but the referee waves away their claims.
38′: Thiago Silva receives the game’s first yellow card for a late challenge on Miku near the halfway line.
35′: Brazil ‘keeper Julio Cesar is called into action for the first time, as he easily collects a deep cross from Cichero.
32′: Pato goes close again! He takes a long ball in his stride and fires in a shot from the right side of the penalty box, but Vega holds the ball at the second attempt.
29′: The game is held up slightly by a dog on the pitch, which looks far livelier than the Venezuelan forwards have done so far.
28′: Pato hits the bar! He created space for himself inside the area a few yards out, but smacked his effort against the woodwork. The closest Brazil have come so far.
25′: Venezuela are making life simple for the Brazilian defenders by constantly committing fouls when in the Brazil half.
22′: Neymar’s cross is headed goalwards by Pato, but comfortably saved by Vega. In any case, the Milan striker was adjudged to have committed a foul, and Venezuela have a free-kick.
19′: Santos again plays the ball in from the left but his cross is easily claimed by Vega. Brazil are on top but cannot find the final pass at the moment.
13′: Andre Santos whips a ball in from the left-hand side but Robinho cannot adjust his foot to tap the ball in and fires over and wide.
11′: Brazil have started better but stout defending from Venezuela has stopped them from getting their shots away in the final third.
6′: Pato expertly brings down a long ball from Lucio and finds Neymar in the area, but the young Santos sensation is tackled before he can get a shot away.
3′: Pato seems to be in with a goalscoring chance but he is declared offside by the officials.
2′: Robinho shoots straight at the Venezuela goalkeeper Vega from just outside the area after good build up play from Brazil.
20:08: After a lengthy delay, Venezuela get us underway with the kick-off!
20:00: Kick-off has been delayed slightly, but here come the teams for the national anthems!
19:57: Many people see Venezuela as the weakest side in South America, and anything other than a comfortable Brazil win would be a surprise. But the Seleção will have to be professional and watch out for Miku and Rondon up front, who both play in Spain.
19:56: This will be Lucio’s 100th official cap for Brazil tonight. He has technically played 101 games, but two were not officially recognised by FIFA. As captain, he will be hoping the holders can get off to a winning start.
19:52: Don’t forget, for your chance to win a Brazil shirt with Neymar’s name and number on the back, click here!
19:48: For some of Brazil’s young stars, such as Neymar and Ganso, this is the first taste of competitive international action. Can they live up to the hype?
19:47: Brazil’s men will hope to follow in the footsteps of their female counterparts, who progressed to the quarter-finals of the women’s World Cup with a 3-0 win over Norway.
19:45: Welcome to live minute-by-minute coverage of Brazil’s first game of the Copa America! The Seleção take on Venezuela, and the last time the two sides met in this competition, Brazil won 7-0. Let’s hope for a similar scoreline tonight!
Teams:
Brazil: Julio Cesar; Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Lucio, Andre Santos; Lucas Leiva, Ramires, Ganso; Robinho, Pato, Neymar.
Venezuela: Vega; Rosales, Perozo, Vizcarrondo, Cichero; Rincon, Lucena; Gonzalez, Arango; Miku, Rondon.
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