NEWCASTLE, Inglaterra (AP) — Brasil cerró con foja perfecta la primera ronda del torneo olímpico de fútbol al doblegar el miércoles a Nueva Zelanda por 3-0 pese a darle descanso a varios titulares.

El equipo brasileño, que ya estaba clasificado, triunfó con goles de Danilo a los 23 minutos, Leandro Damiao a los 29 y Sandro a los 52.

El resultado dejó fuera a Nueva Zelanda, que necesitaba la victoria para tener alguna opción de avanzar en el Grupo C. Los neozelandeses se despidieron con un punto.

Brasil, que finalizó la fase de grupos con tres victorias, quedó a la espera del segundo del Grupo D, plaza que podrían ocupar Japón, Honduras o Marruecos.

Los sudamericanos jugaron el último cuarto de hora con un hombre menos por la expulsión de Alex Sandro tras ver su segunda tarjeta amarilla por fingir una falta dentro del área contraria.

El fútbol olímpico es el único título importante que Brasil todavía no ha ganado.

Brasil controló el partido desde el vamos, apoderándose del balón y esperando los momentos oportunos para golpear.

"Me gustó mucho como jugó el equipo", expresó el técnico Mano Menezes. "Tuvimos el balón, pero no nos apuramos y eso es importante, las jugadas nacieron naturalmente".

El primer gol fue producto de una combinación entre Damiao y Danilo, quien batió al arquero rival con un tiro desde el borde del área.

Damiao aumentó empalmando desde seis metros un pase rasante de Alex Sandro, quien había sido habilitado de taco por Marcelo.

El mismo Marcelo participó también en el tercero, con un tiro libre que sobró a la defensa y permitió anotar a Sandro.

Menezes dio descanso a jugadores como Hulk, Alexandre Pato, Oscar, Rómulo y el arquero Neto. En su lugar jugaron Gabriel, Lucas, Leandro Damiao, Danilo y Alex Sandro.

"Me gustó el que los nuevos hayan ingresado y mantenido un alto nivel de juego", dijo Menezes. "Eso revela que tenemos mucha calidad".

Paulo Henrique Ganso, que viene de una lesión, quedó en el banco en los dos primeros partidos e ingresó como suplente. Se esperaba que arrancase de entrada esta vez, pero quedó nuevamente afuera porque no está del todo repuesto de un problema en el muslo izquierdo.

Neymar estuvo un par de veces cerca del gol. A poco de empezado el partido un remate suyo desde 15 metros se fue apenas alto y en el complemento se perdió un gol increíble, tirando nuevamente alto con el arco desguarnecido. El astro del Santos fue reemplazado a los 76.

"Fue duro enfrentar a un equipo como Brasil sabiendo que teníamos que ganar para seguir en carrera", comenzó el técnico neozelandés Neil Emblen. "Hay que aprender de la experiencia".

Esta fue la primera participación de Nueva Zelanda en el fútbol olímpico.

___

Tales Azzoni está en Twitter como http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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