Diego Souza scored after 12 seconds and again in the last minute as Brazil beat Confederations Cup-bound Australia 4-0 in an international friendly on Tuesday.
The Brazilians swooped quickly in front of almost 49,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when Australia defender Bailey Wright gave the ball away to Giuliano, who provided the space for Souza to fire a right-foot shot in off the hands of goalkeeper Mitch Langerak.
The score remained 1-0 until the hour mark but the Brazilians stepped up a level, adding three goals in the last 30 minutes.
Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho delivered a pinpoint corner kick from the right in the 62nd and unmarked David Luiz’s powerful header crashed into the crossbar. The Brazilians had numbers at the back post and Thiago Silva nodded in a header to make it 2-0.
Willian added plenty of energy to the attack when he came on as a replacement and was heavily involved in a passing exchange in the 75th before Paulinho’s back heel set up substitute Taison for his first international goal.
Souza finished it off with a comfortable header from Willian’s corner deep in stoppage time.
The Brazilians had a 1-0 loss to Argentina in a friendly in Melbourne last Friday, coach Tite’s first defeat since taking charge of the national team.
Souza was one of eight changes in the starting lineup and was playing in place of Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus, who fractured his eye socket late in the match against Argentina.
The Australians were coming off a 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier last week and were missing captain Mile Jedinak, who was ruled out of the friendly and the Confederations Cup because of a groin injury. The Socceroos leave for Russia on Wednesday.
Tim Cahill, Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer, said the Socceroos would be better off because of the warmup in its tournament opener against Germany next week.
“We’re going to go into Germany knowing we’ve learned something tonight,” Cahill said. “We’re going into the Confeds Cup in good spirits and looking forward to our first game.”
AP
