E-mail story

Print story

Subscribe to Print

Mexico upsets Brazil at Copa America

  -- The Associated Press

PUERTO ORDAZ, Venezuela (AP) Mexico upset Brazil for the second straight time at a major tournament, beating the five-time world champions 2-0 Wednesday night in the first round of the Copa America.

Nery Castillo scored on a spectacular solo effort in the 23rd minute when he took a pass from Juan Carlos Cacho, flicked the ball over defender Maicon, collected it again and beat goalkeeper Doni. Ramon Morales doubled the lead with a 25-yard free kick in the 29th that froze Doni so much that the goalkeeper didn't even attempt to stop it.

In an exciting, open game, Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a half-dozen excellent saves in the second half to preserve the shutout for El Tri, including several stops on Robinho and a diving save on Afonso in the 62nd. It was easily Mexico's biggest win since Hugo Sanchez took over as coach in November.

Robinho, who put the ball over the crossbar on a first-half bicycle kick, saw an angled shot pushed off the crossbar by Ochoa in the second half. Ochoa took over in goal from Oswaldo Sanchez, who has been Mexico's No. 1 keeper in recent years.

Brazil is the defending champion of the Copa America, South America's championship, and is ranked third in the world. Mexico, coming off a 2-1 loss to the United States on Sunday in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, is ranked 26th.

Still, Mexico defeated Brazil 1-0 in the first round of the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany on a goal by Jared Borgetti, who was dropped from the roster after injuring a leg muscle in Sunday's game.

Mexico and the U.S. team are invited guests in this tournament. The United States opens Thursday against Argentina in Maracaibo.

In the opener of the Group B doubleheader, Chile rallied twice to beat Bolivia 3-2. Carlos Villaneuva bent a free kick over a defensive wall and into the upper corner of the net for a tiebreaking goal in the 87th minute.

Humberto Suazo scoring in the 21st and 80th minutes for Chile. Ecuador, knocked out of last year's World Cup in the second round by England, got goals from Antonio Valencia in the 16th minute and Segundo Castillo in the 23rd.

With the score 2-all, Villaneuva hit a perfectly struck free kick, and goalkeeper Cristian Mora reacted slowly before diving to his right.