The 2019 Copa America host, Brazil began their campaign with a routine 3 nil win over Bolivia, 3 2nd-half goals from unsettled Barcelona ace, Philippe Coutinho and a further goal added by a substitute, Everton, was all the host needed to overcome Bolivia, in a far from vintage Brazil performance. With the other Group A tie between Peru and Venezuela ended in a goalless stalemate, Brazil sits atop Group A with 2 points margin and 3 goals advantage.
Brazil have failed to win the tournament since they last won it in 2007, the pressure is on for the Samba Boys to add to their tally of 8 Copa America titles, and they have to do it without their talismanic striker, Neymar Jnr, who got injured while preparing for the tournament.
The last 5 meetings between Brazil and Bolivia is slightly in Brazil's favour, with 2 wins, 2 draws and a solitary defeat, and the odds favoured them to win again at the Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium. Wearing an unpopular white shirt for the 1st time in about 60 years (most of us on scorum platform were not even conceived when they last wore a white shirt), in honour of their 1st Copa America win on home soil some 100 years ago(1919), Brazil lacked inspiration in the final 3rd. It was a lacklustre 1st-half performance by the Samba Boys, where they failed to register a shot on target. The front trio of Richarlison(Everton), Firmino(Liverpool) and David Neres(Ajax) failed to trouble an unfazed Bolivia defence despite dominating the entire proceedings, which prompted jeers and boos from the home supporters towards the Brazilians.
However, the host put up a better show in the 2nd half and was rewarded with a goal 5 minutes into the restart via a VAR assisted penalty-kick. Adrian Jusino was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, and Coutinho duly converted for the 1st goal. The host pulled further clear just 3 minutes later, with Coutinho at the double, the Barcelona ace nodded in from close range from a Firmino cross. The host made victory sure with a 3rd goal 5 minutes from stoppage time and in style, substitute, Everton's right footed shot from outside the box beat the Bolivia goalkeeper, Carlos Lampe to the bottom right corner.
A slightly improved 2nd half saw Brazil fire 5 shots on target, scoring 3 out of it, however not the kind of performance expected of Brazil, aiming to host and win for the 5th times, having hosted and won in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989, they won't have the luxury of recovering from a slow start against the likes of Chile, Argentina, or even Uruguay.
An oftentimes difficult opening match is out of the way, they can now focus on the next game against Venezuela, with plenty of room for improvement.
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