Menezes Makes Winning Start To Reign

Thursday, 12th August 2010 at 05:11am

New Brazil coach Mano Menezes got his tenure as Brazil national football team coach off to a winning start as goals from Neymar and Alexandre Pato were enough to see off the United States in New Jersey.

In Brazil's first match since their 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the World Cup in South Africa, Menezes' new look squad showed signs of a desire to return to the fluid, attacking football that Brazilian sides have become famous for but was absent during the reign of previous encumbent Dunga.

Menezes named 11 uncapped players in his first squad as he looks to reinvigorate the team and it was one of those debutants, Neymar, the 18-year-old Santos winger, who gave Brazil the lead on 28 minutes heading in and the lead was doubled right on the stroke of half time by AC Milan striker Pato who ran onto to a defence-splitting through ball from new Chelsea midfielder, Ramires.

Brazil were unable to add to their two goals after the break but the manner of victory is sure to have pleased Brazil fans desperate to see their side show some of the exuberance of teams of yesteryear.

The new found freedom and move away from the rigid play of the Dunga era was something that struck the right chord with the players too.

"We enjoyed to play, I was happy, happy to be back. It's fun to play with great players with skill but we also know we have a responsibility to work hard," Pato, who missed out on the World Cup after an injury-plagued season, said.

Despite only working with his players for just a few days, Menezes appeared satisfied with the display and warned that there would be more to come.

"This was a step forward in terms of our ideas and vision and there will be more. The way we set up avoided the risk of a lack of chemistry," he said.

"I thought that the way that we performed reflected our style and our philosophy. It was not so much about the practice that we did but about the talent of the players," he added.

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