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LA PLATA, Argentina (AP)—Brazil was held to a 0-0 draw by Venezuela in the Copa America on Sunday, making a similar lackluster start as host nation and fellow co-favorite Argentina two days earlier.

Venezuela, usually regarded as the weakest team in the South American confederation, packed the midfield in the Group B match to snuff out Brazil’s attack. The five-time World Cup winners seldom played like an organized team, relying on the individual talents of stars Neymar, Robinho and Alexandre Pato.

“We were unable to finish and lost many good opportunities,” Neymar said. “Now we’ll have to work to improve and win.”

Brazil coach Mano Menezes put it more clearly: “It was a bad result. Surprises no longer exist in football … our attack was lacking, particularly in the second half.”

Players on both teams wore gloves, trying to fight off the near-freezing temperatures of the Argentine winter.

Argentina drew 1-1 with Bolivia on Friday in the tournament opener. Brazil has defeated Argentina in the last two finals and the two teams are widely expected to meet again in the July 24 final.

Just like Argentina, Brazil seldom looked like a real team. Venezuela worked harder than its opponent, keeping Brazil’s chances to a minimum and relying on an impressive goalkeeping performance from Renny Vega.

“It’s an important achievement,” Venezuela midfielder Franklin Lucena said. “We played good football and we are convinced we can do important things.”

With Venezuela seemingly content to play for the draw, Brazil had several chances early in the match.

Brazil’s best opportunity came when a sprawling Vega dived to stop a shot from the wing by Pato in the 32nd minute.

Referee Raul Orozco waved away shouts for a penalty in the 39th when Venezuela defender Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, sliding just in front of the goal mouth, blocked a shot from Robinho with his shoulder.

Brazil’s 19-year-old star, Neymar, seldom looked dangerous although he did have a blistering attempt in the 13th minute that was stopped by Vega. He then shot just wide of the far post in the 44th.

“If we had scored in the first half, the results would have been very different,” Thiago Silva said. “We will certainly play better the next time.”

The second half followed a similar pattern with Brazil mounting a few attacks, always looking for a stunning individual effort to win the match.

Brazil plays its second group match on Saturday against Paraguay. Venezuela plays Ecuador the same day.

Eight of the 12 teams qualify for the second round, which means the early draws are unlikely to keep Brazil and Argentina out of the knockout stage.

Lineups:

Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Lucio, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos, Lucas Leiva, Ramires (Elano, 75), Ganso, Robinho (Fred, 64), Alexandre Pato (Lucas, 75), Neymar.

Venezuela: Renny Vega, Roberto Rosales, Oswaldo Vizcarriondo, Grenddy Perozo, Gabriel Cichero, Tomas Rincon, Franklin Lucena, Cesar Gonzalez (Giacomo Di Giorgi, 86), Juan Arango, Nicolas Miku Fedor (Giancarlo Maldonado, 78), Jose Salomon Rondon (Alejandro Moreno, 63).

Labels: America, Brazil, draws, Venezuela

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)—Brazil’s players found the weather chilly on their first day of training in Argentina, as the squad prepared to start its Copa America campaign on July 3 against Venezuela.

Skies were overcast with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees Celcius (50 Farenheit) on Wednesday, leading to many of the Brazilians wearing gloves to fight the effects of winter.

The Brazil squad arrived late Tuesday and is staying—and training—at a five-star hotel complex located about 60 kilometers (35 miles) north of downtown Buenos Aires. Brazil has won the last two continental championships and faces Paraguay and Ecuador in its other Group B matches.

“We’re working on getting things together,” defender Thiago Silva said.”Although we have not played that much together, we’re training daily and it will get better.”

Brazil began training without three players—19-year-old forward Neymar, Elano and Paulo Henrique Ganso—who are set to play for Brazilian club Santos on Wednesday in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against Uruguayan team Penarol.

“We’ll be in the fight for the championship,” Robinho said. “Right now, we have to relax our nerves.”

Labels: Brazil, chills, Training

SAO PAULO (AP)—It took only six matches for Ronaldinho’s return to Brazilian football to be considered a success.

Ronaldinho still isn’t playing the kind of football that twice made him the FIFA player of the year, but on Sunday he scored a decisive goal and lifted his first trophy since joining Flamengo after 10 years in European football.

“I’m euphoric,” Ronaldinho said after Flamengo’s 1-0 victory over Boavista in the Guanabara Cup final. “This is how I want to make history with Flamengo, scoring goals and winning titles.”

The goal in the Guanabara Cup—the first stage of the Rio de Janeiro state championship—was Ronaldinho’s third since making his debut with the popular Brazilian club following a transfer from AC Milan in January, a move that brought him back to Brazil after thriving with some of Europe’s top clubs.

“I came to Flamengo at the right time,” the 30-year-old Ronaldinho said. “I’m very motivated to start playing well again and to be happy again.”

Ronaldinho was FIFA’s player of the year in 2004 and 2005 with Barcelona, but was struggling recently with AC Milan and decided to return home to revamp his career.

“My goal is to return to the national team as soon as possible,” he said. “I’ll keep working hard.”

Ronaldinho is yet to have a stellar performance since his debut with Flamengo on Feb. 2, but the club has won five of the six matches he played.

He scored his first goal with Flamengo with a penalty kick against Boavista in the group stage on Feb. 6, and his second came with a header against Murici in the Brazilian Cup on Feb. 16.

The 71st-minute goal on Sunday came at a crucial moment for Flamengo, which was dominating the match but was having difficulties getting past the opponent’s tight defensive scheme at the Engenhao stadium in Rio.

He curled a right-footed shot over the wall, striking it so perfectly that he began running to celebrate even before the ball hit the net. He ran near the sideline with several teammates lined up behind him, all dancing together.

The playmaker was praised and hailed in headlines across Brazil’s top newspapers on Monday.

“Ronaldinho decides with masterful goal,” the Lance sports daily said.

“Ronaldinho gives Flamengo the title,” read a front-page headline in the O Globo newspaper in Rio.

Ronaldinho signed with Flamengo in January after a controversial negotiation that involved two other Brazilian clubs, Palmeiras and Gremio, where he started his career. Ronaldinho’s agent and brother Roberto Assis negotiated with the three clubs for several days before announcing Ronaldinho’s decision to join Flamengo until the 2014 World Cup, which will be played in Brazil.

Labels: already, Brazil, return, Ronaldinhos, success

AREQUIPA, Peru (AP)—Juan Iturbe has managed to upstage—if only for one game — Brazil’s most promising young player.

The 19-year-old Neymar was the player everyone was watching when South American qualifying for the Under-20 World Cup began three weeks ago in Peru. He has not disappointed, producing a tournament-high seven goals.

However, Iturbe, a 17-year-old Argentine, probably surpassed him on Sunday in a 2-1 win over Brazil in the second round. Itrube scored in the 67th minute after Brazil—playing with 10 men from the fifth minute—had equalized in the 55th.

“Iturbe is a game-breaking player, very explosive,” said Argentina under-20 coach Walter Perazzo.

Iturbe has scored three goals and—like Neymar—wears No. 7.

He is one of the best young players in the world, and is embroiled in a dispute between two clubs—Paraguay’s Cerro Porteno and Argentina’s Quilmes. However, reports suggest he will leave for FC Porto in Portugal when he turns 18 later this year.

The conflict between Cerro Porteno and Quilmes has meant Iturbe has played little for the past several months, making his performance in Peru even more impressive.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has also expressed interest in Iturbe, who has been compared to Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

To further complicate matters, Iturbe was born in Argentina to parents from Paraguay and, in addition to playing with a Paraguay club, he played a friendly almost a year ago with Paraguay’s senior national team, coached by Argentine Gerardo Martino.

But Iturbe says he’s now firmly committed to Argentina.

“Now, I’m only thinking of Argentina,” he said recently. “I’m not talking about any future transfer.”

Labels: Argentina, Brazil, Iturbe, Neymars, stars

SAO PAULO (AP)—Authorities say Corinthians player William Morais was killed in a robbery attempt in southeastern Brazil.

Police say the 19-year-old midfielder on loan to Minas Gerais club America was shot in the back early Sunday while trying to escape a robbery attempt in the city of Belo Horizonte.

Officials say Morais was returning home from a party when he was attacked by the robbers. Media reports say three suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing.

Morais began his professional career with Corinthians and was sent to America this season. He scored one goal for Corinthians last year, when the club finished third in the Brazilian league.

Labels: attempt, Brazil, killed, player, robbery, Young