Philippe Coutinho scored a second-half double and Everton added a cracking third as Brazil recovered from a sleepy start to beat Bolivia 3-0 in its Copa America opener on Friday.
Both sides were poor in the first period but the game briefly came alive five minutes into the second half when Coutinho slotted home a VAR-assisted penalty.
Coutinho grabbed a second with a close-range header three minutes later before Everton rifled home a third from outside the box with five minutes remaining.
The match was the first of this year’s tournament, which is being held in Brazil for the first time since 1989.
Failing to inspire
Brazil, which started with Roberto Firmino up front and Fernandinho in midfield in place of the injured Arthur, failed to inspire the strangely subdued crowd at Morumbi stadium.
Wearing white shirts for the first time in more than 60 years, the home side huffed and puffed but rarely threatened and even after it went 2-0 up, it lacked ideas and urgency.
Bolivia, which last won the title in 1963, rarely threatened at the other end after starting brightly.
The result :
Group A : Brazil 3 (Coutinho 50, 53, Everton 85) bt Bolivia 0 .
