Copa America 2024: Vinicius Jr. stars with brace as Brazil thrash Paraguay 4-1
Copa America 2024: Vinicius Jr. stars with brace as Brazil thrash Paraguay 4-1
Brazil's Vinicius Jr scored twice in a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in a Group D clash at the Copa America on Friday in Nevada, marking a significant turnaround from his underwhelming performance in Brazil's 0-0 draw against Costa Rica in their opening match.
With this win, Brazil now sits in second place in Group D with four points, trailing Colombia, who have already secured a quarter-final spot with six points from two matches. Costa Rica is third with one point, while Paraguay, without any points after two defeats, has been eliminated from the tournament in the group stage for only the second time since 2001. This match also marked Brazil's first victory in six competitive matches and the first under their new manager, Dorival Jr, who took over the team in January.
How did the match unfold?
From the outset, Vinicius Jr's speed and skill were a constant threat to Paraguay on the left wing, a sharp contrast to his subdued display in the previous match. However, Paraguay almost took the lead in the 15th minute when Damian Bobadilla's deflected shot nearly beat Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who made a crucial save.
Brazil had a chance to open the scoring in the 28th minute with a penalty for handball, but Lucas Paqueta missed the target. Paqueta quickly redeemed himself, however, by setting up Vinicius for the opening goal seven minutes later with a precise first-time pass that concluded a well-executed team move.
Girona winger Savio extended Brazil's lead by capitalising on a rebound inside the box, and Vinicius added his second goal just before halftime by redirecting a clearance from Omar Alderete into the net.
Paraguay pulled one back with a stunning long-range effort from Alderete after the break, but Brazil quickly quashed any hopes of a comeback. A handball by Mathias Villasanti resulted in a second penalty for Brazil in the 68th minute, and this time, Paqueta converted to put Brazil firmly in control.
The match grew heated towards the end, with Andres Cubas receiving a red card for kicking out at Douglas Luiz. With the numerical advantage, Brazil comfortably managed the closing stages to secure all three points.