Despite a late rally from Venezuela, Brazil were able to hold on to a 2-1 advantage that sealed their place in the Copa América quarter-finals.
At the start of play on Sunday, all four sides in Group C – Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela – were locked together on three points apiece and could still qualify.
In the opening match, Colombia and Peru played out a 0-0 stalemate at Temuco’s Estadio Municipal Germán Becker, which left Brazil and Venezuela knowing that a score draw between them would see both go through at the expense of Colombia.
Despite that possibility, Brazil quickly disregarded suggestions of a ‘convenient’ outcome by taking the lead through Thiago Silva’s close range strike on 8 minutes.
That goal settled Brazil down and they took control of the contest, with Roberto Firmino’s tap-in six minutes into the second half, after good work from Willian, seemingly ending Venezuela’s hopes.
La Vinotinto refused to give up however, and after Miku bundled the ball home following Jefferson’s parry from Juan Arango’s free-kick, the unlikely seemed possible.
Indeed, Miku would be a fraction away from netting a decisive equaliser, but he could not quite reach fellow substitute Josef Martínez’s well hit cross.
Brazil eventually held out to ensure they topped the group. They will now face Paraguay in the next round, while Peru and Colombia have drawn Bolivia and Argentina, respectively.
| Sunday 22nd June results | ||
| Colombia | 0 – 0 | Peru |
Colombia: David Ospina; Santiago Arias, Cristián Zapata, Jeison Murillo, Pablo Armero (Víctor Ibarbo 57’), Juan Cuadrado, Edwin Valencia (Alexander Mejía 24’), Carlos Sánchez, James Rodríguez; Radamel Falcao (Jackson Martínez 65’), Teófilo Gutiérrez
Peru: Pedro Gallese; Luis Advíncula, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Ascues, Juan Manuel Vargas; Joel Sánchez (Paolo Hurtado 81’), Josepmir Ballón. Carlos Lobatón, Christian Cueva (Yoshimar Yotún 90’); Claudio Pizarro (Jefferson Farfán 56’), Paolo Guerrero
| Brazil | 2 – 1 | Venezuela |
| Thiago Silva (8′) | Miku (84′) | |
| Roberto Firmino (51′) |
Brazil: Jefferson; Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Filipe Luís; Willian, Fernandinho, Elias, Philippe Coutinho (David Luiz 67’); Roberto Firmino (Diego Tardelli 67’), Robinho (Marquinhos 76’)
Venezuela: Alain Baroja; Roberto Rosales, Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, Andrés Túñez, Gabriel Cichero; Luis Manuel Seijas (César González 46’), Tomás Rincón, Alejandro Guerra (Miku 72’); Ronald Vargas (Josef Martínez 46’), Juan Arango; Salomón Rondón
Group C standings
