Neymar and Sanchez return for Copa America knockout match

By: Mauricio Savarese, The Associated Press Posted: 6:36 PM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 30, 2021

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Defending champion Brazil and Chile will have their star players back in action when they meet in the Copa America quarterfinals on Friday.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Defending champion Brazil and Chile will have their star players back in action when they meet in the Copa America quarterfinals on Friday.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/06/2021 (1861 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Defending champion Brazil and Chile will have their star players back in action when they meet in the Copa America quarterfinals on Friday.

Neymar will return for Brazil and Alexis Sánchez has recovered from a calf muscle injury ahead of the encounter at the Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The Seleçao spared a group of regular starters in the 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Sunday, resting Neymar, defender Thiago Silva and striker Gabriel Jesus. Others, including Casemiro, entered as substitutes in that game.

Brazil's Neymar takes a shot in an attempt to score during a Copa America soccer match against Colombia at Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Brazil, with three wins in four Copa America matches, is the clear favorite to win. Chile’s only win in the group stage was against Bolivia and it is lacking the kind of form that inspired its back-to-back championship wins in 2015 and ’16.

The last memorable match between Brazil and Chile was in the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup. Regular time ended 1-1, with goals by David Luiz and Sánchez. The Chileans almost beat the hosts in extra time, with a strike by Mauricio Pinilla hitting the bar in the last minute.

But Brazil won on penalties, 3-2 — Pinilla also missed his from the spot. Thiago Silva, who could start on Friday, was marked by that match for his tears of tension during the shootout.

“I didn’t program myself to get emotional. It just happened,” Silva told a news conference Wednesday. “I was labelled negatively for that moment against Chile. It was very sad for me for a long time, but it was also a learning experience so I could prepare myself for other objectives, decisive matches.”

Sánchez missed Chile’s group-stage matches and his absence affected the team’s production; La Roja only tallied three goals, with Eduardo Vargas scoring twice and Ben Brereton once.

Coach Martín Lasarte will decide after Thursday’s practice whether 32-year-old Sánchez will start against Brazil or come off the bench.

“To play against the host is always difficult, but Brazil is also the team that is possibly in best shape,” Lasarte said. “We have to play our best match so far. That is always possible. We will try to annul their virtues and explore their flaws.”

Also on Friday, 2019 Copa America runner-up Peru will take on Paraguay at the Olimpico Stadium in Goiania. The winner will face Brazil or Chile in the semifinals in Rio.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports