Anyone speak Portuguese? Has anyone read any Brazilian reports re the match? Ho Hum? Big yawn from the Brazilian press? I am curious to know.
O Globo just says that Brazil's young team played well and made special mention of Neymar and Rafael. They don't really say anything about the US. http://oglobo.globo.com/olimpiadas2012/brasil-volta-jogar-bem-goleia-os-estados-unidos-4-1-5075361
I saw some of the talk shows on the most popular Brazilian TV sports channel "SporTV." They did not say much about the U.S. team, other than that the U.S. had a series of good results before the game and that it was therefore a good win for Brazil. They all said that the first Brazil goal (the penalty) was definitely not a good call by the referee. Some of them said that the 4th Brazil goal was offside. Some of them said that the penalty really took the U.S. out of their game and made the game much easier for Brazil. Several of them said that Marcelo should have been red-carded and that he would likely be red-carded at the World Cup due to his anger management issues.
Thanks! Good to know re Marcelo. Has all the talent in the world, but doesn't have the fortitude to match. I was hoping there may have been some info regarding a couple of our players - nice to get a different perspective, but I suspected there wouldn't be much forthcoming re a friendly.
I forgot to mention that during the game on the Brazilian TV broadcast (on Brazil's biggest network, Globo), I believe that it was during halftime when they had a sort of "roundtable" discussion in their studio, Junior (former Brazil international in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups) made the comment that Brazil was really trying to press the U.S. into mistakes because the U.S. was a less "technical" (meaning less skill on the ball) team. He did not mention any individuals by name, but it sounded like he was primarily referring to the U.S. central defenders. Having watched several Brazil-USA games on Brazilian TV, plus several USA World Cup games on Brazilian TV over the years while living in Brazil, I must say that the Brazilian press in general gives the U.S. teams a lot of respect (perhaps even more than they deserve) and they always make comments regarding how the U.S. continues to improve.