Brazil got off to a terrific start by beating Venezuela 3-0 in the tournament's opening match and they have once again shown that they are the favorites to win this year Copa America. Neymar, Marquinhos, and Gabriel Jesus each scored one goal for Brazil. On the other hand, Argentina took a lead against Chile thanks to Lionel Messi's spectacular free-kick, but they had to settle for a draw in their opening match of the competition. Argentina must win on a consistent basis in order to win the championship. This article analyzes how Argentina and Brazil performed in their Copa America 2021 opener.
Match Report: Brazil vs Venezuela
Brazil kicked off Copa America 2021 with a 3-0 win over Venezuela on June 13. The host is currently in the first position in Group B. The star footballers of PSG, striker Neymar, and defender Marquinhos scored for Brazil, while Flamengo's forward Gabriel Barbosa scored the other goal.
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Marquinhos scored the first goal for the team in the 23rd minute of the match held in EstádioNacionalManéGarrincha. With a cool head, the defender put the ball into the net from Neymar's corner kick, giving Brazil a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later, Richarlison scored again for Brazil, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside trap. After that, despite getting multiple opportunities, Brazil was failing to double the lead.
Finally, in the 64th minute, Neymar doubled the lead for Brazil after scoring a wonderful goal in the bottom right corner of the post. Gabriel Barbosa then scored the third goal in the 89th minute through a penalty.
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Brazil had dominated the whole match. On the other side, Venezuela were unable to produce a solid scoring opportunity. Brazil will face Peru in their next encounter on June 17.
Match Report: Argentina vs Chile
On June 14, Argentina and Chile played their first match. Argentina tried to attack from the start in this Group ‘A’ encounter. Barcelona's superstar Lionel Messi dazzled goalkeeper Claudio Bravo with a stunning strike from 25 meters away when he earned a free kick in the 33rd minute, giving Argentina a 1-0 lead.
Argentina tried to control the match, but Chile equalized in the 12th minute of the second half with a penalty. Martinez saved Vidal's penalty, but Vargas ran ahead and hammered the ball into the net to level the score at 1-1.
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The Argentine forwards were unable to strike despite having a few decent chances later. Team Albiceleste is now unbeaten in 14 consecutive matches under head coach Lionel Scaloni. Argentina will face Uruguay in their next encounter on June 17.
Bottom Line
Copa America 2021 has finally begun, despite several challenges. Argentina and Colombia were supposed to co-host the event initially. Colombia eventually dropped out as the tournament's organizer, leaving Argentina to host the event on its own.
However, Argentina also withdrew to host the tournament at the last minute due to the Coronavirus outbreak. That is why Brazil is hosting the 47th Copa America alone. Host Brazil are the overwhelming favorite to win Copa America this year. However, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, and Chile also have a chance to win the South American Football Championship if they play to their potential.
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