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Copa six-pack Brazil dominates Uruguay for South American title
Posted: Monday July 19, 1999 02:53 PM
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) -- With steamroller efficiency, Brazil beat Uruguay 3-0 in the final of the Copa America to retain the South American championship. Rivaldo, the standout Sunday, had two first-half goals and Ronaldo scored in the second half as the four-time World Cup champions rolled over a valiant but vastly overmatched Uruguayan team. As joyous fans turned Defensores del Chaco stadium into a festival of green and yellow, Brazil claimed its sixth title in the world's oldest tournament of national soccer teams. Uruguay and Argentina have the most, with 14 each. The Brazilians were too much for everyone in the Copa America. They beat Mexico twice, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela and Uruguay to finish undefeated, with the most goals scored (17) and the fewest allowed (2). "It's not that the others were bad, but Brazil right now is superior," Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos said. And Brazil has its eye on bigger prizes. "This is the first phase of our project to prepare for the Olympics and the 2002 World Cup," coach Wanderley Luxemburgo said. "We're happy with the win, but our minds are on the World Cup." Despite the loss, the Cup was by no means a disappointment for Uruguay. The young squad that came here to gain some experience won the hearts of soccer fans with a storybook run to the finals. And if the youngsters learned something in their upsets of Paraguay and Chile, on Sunday Brazil took them to school.
Uruguay had trouble setting up counterattacks for lone striker Marcelo Zalayeta, the team's top scorer with three goals. Fabian Carini, the 20-year-old goalkeeper who caused a sensation by stopping penalty kicks in shootouts against Paraguay and Chile, this time had little success. Brazil took 10 minutes to figure out Uruguy's zone defense. In the 11th minute, Ze Roberto broke in on the left, dribbled by Carini but lost his angle, and his shot was tipped wide. Ten minutes later, Rivaldo began his personal show. Flavio Conceicao curled in a free kick from the left side and found Rivaldo at the near post, and the Barcelona midfielder headed it in for a 1-0 lead. In the 27th minute, Ze Roberto crossed and Rivaldo trapped the ball, shook his defender with a dribble and gently chipped the ball over Carini to make it 2-0. Uruguay's best chance came with a minute left in the half, when defender Martin de Campo fired from the right side and hit the crossbar. Barely a minute into the second half, Rivaldo spotted Ronaldo on a breakaway and sent a perfect pass to the Inter striker, who fired a rocket past Carini to make it 3-0. The goal pulled Ronaldo even with Rivaldo for tournament scoring honors at five goals apiece. "This is an especially happy moment, because it's been a difficult year for me," said Ronaldo, who broke up with his fiancee, struggled with tendonitis in his knees and was booed for his uneven play at the Cup. Uruguay was unable to keep up with the repertoire of dribbles and one-touch passes, and Brazil wasted exellent chances to widen the score. Ronaldo misfired on a breakaway with Carini beaten, and Rivaldo was disarmed after dribbling all the way to the goal line. The Uruguayans pressed in the closing minutes, but Gabriel Alvez and Federico Magallanes fired just wide. LineupsBrazil: Dida, Cafu, Joao Carlos, Antonio Carlos, Roberto Carlos, Emerson, Flavio Conceicao, Ze Roberto, Rivaldo, Amoroso and Ronaldo. Uruguay: Fabian Carini, Martin del Campo, ernando Picun, Alejandro Lembo, Federico Bergara (Gianni Gigou, 73), Andres Fleurquin, Walter Coelho (Gabriel Alvez, 55), Liber Vespa (Antonio Pacheco, 45), Christian Callejas, Federico Magallanes and Marcelo Zalayeta. Referee: Oscar Ruiz, Colombia.
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