Brazil shrug off Neymar absence to beat Venezuela and reach Copa quarters
Colombia scrape through after 0-0 draw against Peru
Playing without suspended star Neymar, Brazil defeated Venezuela 2-1 in their final group game to reach the Copa America quarter-finals.
Thiago Silva scored with a volley in the 9th minute off a perfect delivery from a corner by Robinho – Neymar’s replacement. Roberto Firmino added the second in the 52nd, chipping in a cross from Willian.
The loss in group C eliminated Venezuela, who got an 84th-minute goal from Miku. The final match in qualifying set up the quarter-final pairings with Chile v Uruguay on Wednesday, Bolivia v Peru on Thursday, Argentina v Colombia on Friday and Saturday’s match pitting Brazil against Paraguay.
Barcelona’s Neymar was banned for four games after a 1-0 loss to Colombia on Wednesday. Angry with the defeat, Neymar kicked a ball at a Colombia player, and also appeared to head-butt another player. Conmebol, the governing body of South American football, said the referee’s report also showed he insulted the referee after the match and grabbed him by the arms.
Brazil seemed to play better without Neymar, at least early in the first half. Robinho and Philipe Coutinho, who replaced midfielder Fred, gave Brazil more attacking flair. After scoring, Silva raced to the sideline and waved to Neymar, who was sitting in the stands, wrapped up under a blue winter cap and jeered by Venezuela fans on a chilly night in the South American winter.
Five-time World Cup champions Brazil are hoping to recover their reputation in this tournament, still stinging from a humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany in last year’s World Cup semifinals at home.
Meanwhile Colombia scraped through as the second-best third placed team after a dull 0-0 draw against Peru.
“We tried everything, Colombia always sought to win the match. We came close, in the first half we put a lot of pressure on Peru,” coach Jose Pekerman said.
“But then we suffered an unexpected injury, inopportune, unfortunate. That’s always a difficult situation ... [Edwin] Valencia was the nexus who made all our players fit together.”
Colombia lost their rhythm after Valencia fell badly on his right knee in the 20th minute of the match at Temuco and had to be replaced by Alexander Mejia.
Pekerman’s compatriot and Peru counterpart Ricardo Gareca said his team had “reached an important objective we had set ourselves”.
“We played an interesting game and in time we’ll be able to grow a lot more,” said Gareca, charged with rebuilding the Peruvian team in a bid to reach their first World Cup finals since 1982.
