Endrick grabs winner as Brazil sink Mexico 3-2 ahead of Copa America
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Brazil forward Endrick after the 3-2 win over Mexico in an international friendly football match at College Station, Texas, on June 8.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
AUSTIN – Teenage striker Endrick headed home a stoppage-time winner as Brazil defeated Mexico 3-2 on June 8 in a warm-up friendly ahead of the June 20-July 14 Copa America.
But coach Dorival Jr sought to cool the hype around the Real Madrid-bound 17-year-old, saying: “Endrick and Pele? Let’s be very careful with this boy. A lot is happening in his life in such a short time.
“He keeps working hard. I saw his beginning in Palmeiras, he’s important, there’s lot of attention on him. Look what he has done in such a short time.”
The Brazilians looked to be cruising to victory after goals from Fulham’s Andreas Pereira and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli fired the South American giants into a 2-0 lead at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.
But Mexico staged an unlikely late fightback after Julian Quinones pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute.
Guillermo Martinez looked to have secured a draw for Mexico in the second minute of added time, lashing in a rebound from his own header after a corner to make it 2-2.
Yet, Mexico barely had time to regroup before Brazil scored the winning goal.
Vinicius Jr lofted an inviting cross into the penalty area from wide on the left and his soon-to-be Real teammate Endrick timed his jump to perfection to glance in a header past Mexico goalkeeper Julio Gonzalez.
Said Endrick: “I’m very grateful to God for another opportunity to score for the national team. Thanks to the squad and Dorival’s excellent work. We trained well and I hope we can work even harder because the goal is to win Copa America.”
The victory extended Brazil’s unbeaten record under new coach Dorival, who oversaw the 1-0 win over England at Wembley in March, followed by a 3-3 draw with Spain.
Brazil face the United States in a friendly in Orlando on June 12 in what will be their final game before they open their Copa America campaign against Costa Rica on June 24.
Copa America hosts US will go into their final friendly on the back of a humbling 5-1 hammering by Colombia on June 8.
Goals by Jhon Arias and Rafael Santos Borre put Colombia 2-0 up after just 19 minutes. Timothy Weah pulled one back in the 58th minute, before La Tricolor responded with goals from Richard Rios, Jorge Carrascal and Luis Sinisterra.
“I’m really disappointed, obviously with the result,” USA coach Gregg Berhalter said. “We’re not framing it as a lesson learnt, we’re framing it as wake-up call. A really poor performance against a top team.
“If you give a team like that the opportunities that we gave them, you’re going to have no chance to win. It’s never going to happen. And that’s what’s really disappointing about the game.”
He added that while he had been encouraged by aspects of his team’s response after falling 2-0 down, “from the 75th minute on, it was, I think, a lack of respect for our opponent, the game of soccer, and what we’re doing”. AFP
