Vinicius Junior Leads Brazil To Commanding 4-1 Win Over Paraguay In Copa America

Vinicius Junior shone brightly as Brazil began their Copa America journey with a decisive 4-1 win over Paraguay, who were knocked out of the tournament. The Real Madrid star netted twice for Brazil, who had previously drawn 0-0 with Costa Rica. Savinho and Lucas Paqueta also scored at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Brazil's victory moved them closer to a quarter-final spot, now holding four points in Group D, just two behind leaders Colombia. They will secure a place in the last eight with a draw against Colombia in their final group match on Tuesday. Paraguay's Omar Alderete scored a stunning long-range goal, but it was not enough to prevent their elimination after back-to-back defeats.

This match could have been tricky for Brazil, who hadn't won against Paraguay in their last five Copa America encounters and were coming off a disappointing draw with Costa Rica. Despite dominating possession with 74%, completing 695 passes, and taking 19 shots in their opener, they failed to score. However, they converted four of their six shots on target this time to solidify their second-place position in Group D.

Vinicius Junior, who had the fewest touches (45) and passes (23) among Brazil's outfield starters in the previous match, bounced back impressively. He led with two goals, 17 dribbles, 21 duels, and 11 touches inside the opposition box. Savinho also made an impact by scoring his first senior international goal after being promoted to the starting lineup following his strong performance off the bench against Costa Rica.

Paraguay has a rich history in Copa America, winning twice in 1953 and 1979. They arrived in the United States having only faced two group-stage exits this century. However, their recent form was concerning, with just three wins from 15 matches before this game. Their record of losing all previous 18 matches when conceding first did not bode well when Vinicius opened the scoring for Brazil.

Despite falling behind early, Paraguay showed resilience after halftime. Alderete's spectacular goal and Julio Enciso's effort that forced Alisson Becker into action highlighted their fightback. They matched Brazil's six shots on target throughout the game but couldn't overcome the deficit.

The turning point came when referee Piero Maza Gomez awarded Brazil a penalty after Lucas Paqueta's shot struck Andres Cubas' arm. Although Paqueta missed from the spot initially, Vinicius broke through four minutes later by finishing Paqueta’s through ball under Rodrigo Morinigo’s dive.

Key Moments

Savinho doubled Brazil's lead by tapping home in the 43rd minute. Just before halftime, Vinicius added another goal when Alderete’s clearance attempt ricocheted off him into the net. Alderete redeemed himself three minutes into the second half with a superb volley from 25 yards out.

Any hopes of a Paraguayan comeback were dashed when Mathias Villasanti handled Savinho’s shot in the box. This time Paqueta converted from the spot to make it 4-1. Paraguay’s woes worsened when Cubas received a red card for striking Douglas Luiz with nine minutes left.

The Selecao enjoyed significant possession and created numerous chances throughout the match. Their clinical finishing ensured they tightened their grip on second place in Group D while almost securing their quarter-final berth.

Brazil will face Colombia next Tuesday needing just a draw to advance to the knockout stages of Copa America.