Copa América 2015 – Colombia defeat Brazil 1-0, Neymar sent off

Copa América 2015 – Colombia defeat Brazil 1-0, Neymar sent off [VIDEO]

0
SHARE

Colombia bounced back from their shock opening loss to Venezuela by exacting revenge for last year’s World Cup quarter-final, defeating a frustrated Brazil side 1-0 in an ill-tempered affair at the Estadio Monumental in Santiago on Wednesday night.

Colombia’s victory over Dunga’s Brazil was Los Cafeteros first win over the Seleção since they defeated the eight-time champions 2-0 in the 1991 Copa América – which, ironically, was also held in Chile. Inter Milan centre-back Jeison Murillo netted the game’s only goal after 36 minutes, giving José Pékerman’s side a vital three points going into the last round of matches which sees both sides level on three points after two games each.

The opening half was played at an extremely high tempo, with Colombia struggling to get out of their own half at times despite taking more shots than Brazil in the first half. Los Cafeteros hit the front after 36 minutes, when Juan Cuadrado’s free kick from the right flank wasn’t dealt with by Brazil, allowing Jeison Murillo to pounce on the loose ball and fire home his first goal for his country from six-yards out.

https://youtu.be/x6Jjs9grZoQ

Seleção captain Neymar was given some rough treatment by Cuadrado, Carlos Sánchez and Juan Zuñiga throughout the first half, and was lucky not to be sent off before the break, after receiving a yellow for handling the ball before petulantly punching the ball in frustration minutes later. Colombia entered the break a goal to the good, and you could sense that tempers would reach boiling point in the second half.

Colombia nearly extended their lead only seven minutes after the restart, when Cuadrado’s shot from outside the area flashed just wide of the far post, after the Chelsea midfielder cut-in from the right flank. Brazil frontman Roberto Firmino then missed a guilt-edge chance just before the hour mark, blazing over the bar from close-range after Ospina’s slip left the goal gaping. Another piece of a Neymar petulance saw him lucky to not receive his marching orders after needlessly shoving goalscorer Murillo, before Dani Alves and Carlos Bacca were involved in another heated exchange.

 

James Rodríguez brilliant run in the final minute of regular time warranted a goal, but the Real Madrid midfielder’s shot flashed just wide of Jefferson’s far post. The final whistle sounded four minutes later, much to the delight of the jubilant Colombians, but another moment of rage from Neymar marred the end of a thoroughly entertaining game of football in the South American showpiece. The Barcelona man fired the ball at Pablo Armero after the final whistle sounded and was confronted by Murillo, before being violently shoved in the back by a furious Bacca. Both Neymar and Bacca were shown red cards by Chilean referee Enrique Osses, leaving both players suspended ahead of each side’s final group matches.

What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.

LEAVE A REPLY