Brazil went into their Group C Copa America clash with Venezuela knowing that a draw was good enough to secure progression into the next round of the tournament.
Dunga's men began the game in a confident fashion and they took a 1-0 lead through defender Thiago Silva, who finished with a bullet-volley to put Brazil in control at half time.
Venezuela only required a draw to qualify from the group, but they were unable to muster much in the second half as the Selecao doubled their lead thanks to Roberto Firmino's neat finish.
The Vinotinto were able to grab one goal back in the closing minutes through Miku, but it was not enough as Colombia grabbed the group's final qualification spot courtesy of Brazil's 2-1 win.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our live coverage as Brazil's Dunga take on Venezuela in Group C of the Copa America. Both sides know that a win will be good enough to send them through as group winners, while a draw would mean that Colombia are eliminated from the group.
Venezuela know that they are able to progress in the competition if they're able to secure three points, or earn a favourable draw to gain qualification as one of the better-placed third-finishing teams in the tournament.
Both of these sides will be insisting on claiming three points tonight, as the third-placed side would have to eventually face up against Argentina in the next round of the Copa. Despite a draw working in both sides' favour, reputations are on the line tonight and Brazil will be doing all they can to get their fans back on their side with a commanding result.
Some team news for you now...
BRAZIL STARTING XI: Jefferson; Alves, Miranda, Thiago Silva, Filipe Luis; Elias, Fernandinho; Willian, Coutinho, Robinho; Firmino
BRAZIL SUBSTITUTES: David Luiz, Douglas Costa, Diego Tardelli, Neto, Marquinhos, Geferson, Fabinho, Fred, Everton Ribeiro, Casemiro, Marcelo Grohe
So Brazil make a number of changes to their starting XI following the suspension of Neymar. Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho comes into midfield, as does former Manchester City man Robinho, who will provide attacking support to Bundesliga striker Roberto Firmino.
VENEZUELA STARTING XI: Baroja; Rosales, Vizcarrondo, Tunez, Cichero; Rincon, Seijas; Vargas, Arango, Guerra; Rondon
VENEZUELA SUBSTITUTES: Angel, Fedor, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Lucena, Martinez, Acosta, Perozo, Rivas, Murillo, Farinez
As you can see the Vinotinto have not decided to make any changes to their team that lost out to Peru recently. Salomon Rondon continues up top as Venezuela's main attacking threat, while the likes of Ronald Vargas and Juan Arango will look to continue impressive showings at the Copa.
If Venezuela are able to match Brazil tonight, both teams will go through and knock Colombia out of the tournament. The cynics out there will probably say that this game will be played out as a dead-rubber. However, Brazil really need a victory following a rather poor showing at the South American showpiece and will have fans on their backs with anything less than three points. There are also a number of players in this Brazil starting XI who will be looking to cement their international futures with the team. The likes of Firmino and Miranda will also be trying to impress reported suitors from European football.
These sides last met at the 2011 Copa four years ago in a game that ended 0-0. Prior to that, Brazil have risen triumphant from six of their seven meetings with Venezuela.
The players are now out on the pitch as both countries open up their lungs to sing their respective national anthems. I think I'm going to back Brazil to win this game with relative ease. We all know that a draw is good enough for both teams, but Brazil have too much quality in this side to be going out there to take one point from 90 minutes of football. If you're looking for a prediction, I'm going to say 2-0 to Brazil.
KICKOFF! Brazil get us moving their yellow strip, while Venezuela feature in red. The ball is moved back towards the yellow defence and Dunga's side look to get the short passing going.
Early movement from Alves down the right sees him fire a cross into the box, but the ball is relatively poor and Venezuela clear without too much of a problem.
Lots of tough tackling already in this fixture as Alves is brought down on the right flank by Rosales. This has been a frantic start as the ball moves from end to end without too much control from either outfit.
Venezuela seek to get Rondon on the move in these early stages as a quick ball is pinged in towards the striker. He tries to bring it down on his chest, allowing Miranda to step in and win back possession.
Rincon shows some great strength and pace as he drives past Alves. The Barcelona full-back is having none of it and pulls his opponent down to concede a foul on the right wing.
Alves is seeing a lot of the ball already down on the right. He seeks out a Firmino with a cross before Venezuela head clear. The second attempt isn't quite right and the danger passes. The right-back is back in the fray again as he tees up Coutinho, but the Liverpool man scuffs his shot on the edge of the area.
GOAL! BRAZIL 1-0 VENEZUELA (THIAGO SILVA)
Wonderful stuff from Paris Saint-Germain defender Silva to give Brazil the lead after just 10 minutes of this encounter. Robinho delivers a relatively simple corner into the centre of the box, where Silva breaks free from his man to send a bullet of a volley beyond a stationary Baroja. Some might say the keeper should have got his hand to it, but that ball was travelling mighty fast.
That goal seems to have sprung Venezuela into action with Guerra and Rondon combining well down the right. Eventually the ball is fed into the path of Morales, who comes undone following some good pressure from Brazil skipper Miranda.
Brazil have got the early goal they wanted and now appear to be sitting back a little with Venezuela taking hold of possession in the middle of the pitch. Rosales tries to beat his marker, although Filipe Luis doesn't look too worried as he gets across to make the challenge.
CLOSE! What an effort from Robinho... Alves advances unchallenged on the right before sending a neat chip in-field for Robinho. He seems confident and takes a shot first time on the volley that dips at the last moment before nestling on the roof of the net. That would've been goal of the tournament so far.
Venezuela now know that they'll have to score in this fixture to progress and Vargas seeks to grab one back for his team with a long-range effort that goes sizzling over the crossbar without testing Jefferson in the Brazil goal.
Not much to report in these past few minutes. Venezuela have sought to keep hold of the ball, but Brazil are pressing well in a bid to reclaim the ball. Alves shows some good hustling to win his side an throw from an attacking position down in the Venezuelan corner.
SAVE! Smart stop from Venezuelan keeper Baroja who does well at his near post to keep out a volley from Filipe Luis.
Dunga's men are starting to showcase some trickery and clever skill in the middle. Lots of short passing from Brazil who are now looking to breakdown what at times appears to be a bank of five in the Venezuelan defence.
Arango does well to win his side a free kick in the middle of the pitch having ducked away from Fernandinho, who brings his opponent down with a cynical challenge. The resulting free kick is sent into the box from 40 yards, which takes a deflection a requires some attention from Jefferson, who moves off his line to smother.
Clever stuff from Brazil as Coutinho looks to break in behind the defence as he collects a through-ball from Elias. The linesman flags for offside and appears to have made the correct decision.
The Selecao seemed to have moved control of this game back into their own hands. Dunga's men have enjoyed the majority of the ball in these past few minutes. Miranda and Silva have had to do very little at the back thus far.
Venezuela find themselves in a bit of a tricky position at the moment. If they open up and go for a leveller early on they could go further behind and they game will be gone from their grasp before they know it. They might well sit on a 1-0 deficit until the break.
SAVE! Miranda starts a positive Brazil move as he steals possession before the ball is moved to Willian. The Chelsea man fires off a shot towards the Peru keeper's near post, leaving Baroja to make a decent stop. Miranda comes forward for the resulting corner, but lashes wide after a scramble inside the box.
Rosales has been able to do very little with the ball in this opening half and he doesn't do himself any favours as he miss-controls a pass from Seijas to give the ball straight back to Brazil just as Venezuela look to build an attack in the Selecao half.
Venezuela pass up a good chance as Rondon peels off towards the back-post, only for Guerra to ignore his movements and play a meaningless ball out wide despite his teammate's promising position.
We're going to have just one minute of additional time in the first half...
YELLOW CARD! Seijas goes into the book after a reckless tackle on Elias on the half-way line.
HALF TIME: BRAZIL 1-0 VENEZUELA
Brazil take a promising one-goal lead into the interval. As it stands Dunga's men will finish top of Group C with Peru progressing in second and a lucky Colombia going through in third place. If Venezuela can get a goal to force a draw, they'll go through at the expense of Colombia tonight.
Both managers will be relatively happy with how things stand. Brazil are going through, while Venezuela only find themselves a goal behind with the prospect of a draw still on the horizon if they're able to somehow prize open this Brazil defence in the second half.
The Selecao have done a lot better in this opening half compared to their other matches in the tournament. Willian and Countinho have put together some neat attacking moves and Brazil seem to now have a little more cutting-edge to their forward play. Robinho has also looked impressive and has unsettled the Venezuelan defence with some adroit direct running.
Venezuela haven't been too bad at the back and they will be hoping that they can capitalise on a set-piece or some counter-attacking play in the second period. They know that a draw is good enough to secure progression, but conceding another one would be game over for the Vinotinto. Noel Sanvicente might even ask his side to sit back and try not to concede before mounting an attack in the closing stages.
As expected, Brazil are dominating the possessional statistics with 57.3% of the ball in the first half. That's a stat that both sides probably expected. What will matter in the second half is what Brazil are able to do with their dominance. A second goal will surely kill this game off, but if things remain at 1-0 going into the closing stages, Venezuela might sense a draw in the offing.
Dunga's charges have completed an impressive 317 passes compared to their opponents' 239, with the winning side currently holding passing accuracy statistics of 85.2%.
One piece of history that doesn't bode too well for Venezuela is that Brazil have never lost a Copa America game that they've gone in front in since 1979. However, as we all know, the Vinotinto only need a draw.
The sides are back out on the pitch and we're just a few seconds away from the second half getting underway...
SUBSTITUTION: Venezuela replace Guerra for Gonzalez.
KICKOFF! Play gets back underway and Brazil come close through Firmino, who fires wide of the target after some neat skill just inside the edge of the Venezuela box.
Gonzalez introduces himself promisingly with a cleverly delivered corner that has the Brazil defence scrambling, only for Miranda to make a vital interception in the centre of the box.
SAVE! Brazil are on the march now as the ball is switched to Willian on the right. The Chelsea man comes inside to flash a cross into the box, leaving Rincon to clear for a corner. The resulting kick sees Silva connect brilliantly with a powerful header, however Baroja does just as well to get down low and tip the effort away from the bottom corner.
GOAL! BRAZIL 2-0 VENEZUELA (ROBERTO FIRMINO)
That could well be lights out for Venezuela at the Copa! Willian produces some excellent skill to beat the left-full back and find a standout cross with the outside of his boot into the centre of the box. Firmino has the beating of his marker in the middle and he breaks free to neatly finish with some clever adjustments to his body to give Brazil a 2-0 lead.
CLOSE! Arango almost has Venezuela back in the encounter as he sees his free kick smartly tipped over the bar by Jefferson. Brazil respond by moving down the other end where Robinho shoots tamely at Baroja with better options either side of him.
Venezuela test Jefferson once more, but it doesn't come to much as the Brazil stopper leaps to claim a timid deflected effort from Martinez.
Despite Brazil's fortunate positon in proceedings, Fernandinho hasn't forgotten his defensive duties as he slides in to win the ball back from Guerra in the middle of the pitch. Great commitment!
You have to feel a bit for Rondon tonight, he's got so much ability but hasn't had any service in front of a formidable Brazil defence.
The right flank has proved a profitable area for Brazil this evening. Alves tries to exploit the space alongside Coutinho, but their resulting cross falls to an unchallenged Venezuelan defence.
Jefferson has to show some clever keeping work as Rondon steals in behind the Brazil defence. Replays show that the frontman is actually offside, but Jefferson did really well to come out and smother the ball away from his opponent. It's taken 66 minutes for Venezuela to bring Rondon into play...
SUBSTITUTIONS: Brazil replace Firmino and Countinho with David Luiz and Diego Tardelli respectively.
It appears as though Dunga has switched his formation to 4-3-3. Luiz seems to be sitting alongside Elias and Fernandinho. Tardelli will be free to roam up top with Willian and Robinho.
CLOSE! Gonzalez shows some great feet inside the Brazil box to fool his marker, but Miranda manages to recover in time when it seems that the winger is almost certain to fire into the net beyond Jefferson.
Venezuela come close yet again, but the move is eventually ruled offside! A free kick is whipped into the box, where Vizcarrondo has the beating of his marker only to tap a tame effort straight at Jefferson. It's all for nothing, though, as the referee blows his whistle.
Brazil seem like they want another in this fixture, this time as Alves marauds down the right flank. He makes the cross, but there's nobody free to meet it inside the area.
SUBSTITUTION: Robinho is replaced by Marquinhos for Brazil. Dunga appearing to want to shore up his ranks as we head into the final stage of the game.
Venezuela haven't stopped going forward despite qualification being seemingly beyond them now. Brazil don't seem to care too much, and they come alive on the counter-attack through Alves. The full-back finds space on the edge of the area to fire a testing shot at Baroja, who does well to smother.
CLOSE! Marquinhos gets himself in on the action down the right having beaten his marker. The defender's cross doesn't clear Vizcarrondo, who clears for a corner. The set-piece is delivered into the middle, where Luiz pulls off a fantastic bicycle kick that is saved on the line by Baroja.
YELLOW CARD! Silva goes into the book following a desperate tackle on Miku.
GOAL! BRAZIL 2-1 VENEZUELA (MIKU)
Can Venezuela do it? They've pulled one back with just a few minutes left to play. Arango turns a free kick onto the post after Jefferson makes a good save, leaving Miku to make the most of the rebound and slide home into an almost-empty net.
A draw would still see Brazil through, but it would knock Colombia out of the Copa. Venezuela need one more goal for progression. The reds have a good chance from a corner, but Jefferson leaps highest to claim the ball cleanly.
YELLOW CARD! Brazil are doing all they can to eek time out of this clash. Andres Tunez fouls Alves to pick up a yellow, and the Barcelona full-back takes his time getting to his feet as the clock ticks down.
It's pure long-ball stuff now from Venezuela. Can Rondon make something happen in these closing minutes? As it stands, Colombia are heading through and Baroja and company are heading out.
We're going to have four minutes of additional time in Chile...
Gonzalez gets upended in the middle of the pitch only to be penalised for a hand-ball. That should've really been a free kick for Venezuela, who now all look a tad forlorn.
CLOSE! Venezuela should be level and it's Miku who is unlucky inside the box. The reds break down the left where the ball is fizzed across the face of goal. Miku gets beyond his marker and is just a few inches away from putting his side into the quarter-finals.
FULL TIME: BRAZIL 2-1 VENEZUELA
So Brazil do enough to claim a slender 2-1 victory and secure progress into the knockout rounds as winners of Group C. Peru have already qualified and now Colombia progress too. Hard luck on Venezuela who have played well during the tournament. That's all from us tonight, but make sure to join us for the quarter-final stages.
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
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