June 29, (THEWILL) – Brazil defeated Paraguay 4-1 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada in a definitive display of intent for the competition. The victory, spearheaded by Vinicius Junior’s first-half brace, extended Brazil’s unbeaten run against Paraguay to 10 matches and reignited their tournament hopes.
Brazil dominated from the outset, with Joao Gomes and Lucas Paqueta testing Paraguay’s defence early on. Despite a missed penalty by Paqueta in the 31st minute, Brazil broke the deadlock shortly after. Vinicius Junior capitalised on Paqueta’s clever backheel pass to score the opener, setting the tone for a commanding Brazilian performance.
The Seleção’s superiority was further emphasised in a seven-minute spell before halftime. Savio netted his debut goal for Brazil, followed by Vinicius Junior’s second, exploiting a defensive mix-up. Paraguay briefly responded after the break with Omar Alderete’s long-range strike, but their comeback hopes were dashed when Paqueta converted a penalty in the second half.
Paraguay’s woes were compounded when Andres Cubas received a straight red card in the 81st minute. The result leaves Brazil with four points in Group D, two behind leaders Colombia, setting up a crucial clash between the two sides on Wednesday, to determine the group winners.
For Paraguay, the defeat, coupled with Colombia’s 3-0 victory over Costa Rica, marks the end of their Copa América journey. Their final match against Costa Rica will be played solely for pride, as they exit the 2024 tournament prematurely.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
