Brazil rallies to top Spain

KOCHI — Stung by an early goal scored by the rampaging Spaniards, the emerging talent from Brazil showed that they are a resolute lot like their illustrious predecessors by dominating their rivals for the rest of the game to register a 2-1 comeback win in their U-17 World Cup opener here at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium Saturday.

The win gave Brazil vital three points and a head start in a group labeled the 'group of death'.

Incidentally, all the three goals in the game were scored by the Brazilians with Wesley's own goal putting Spain ahead before the 'little Canerians' getting back into the game with goals from and Lincoln and Paulinho in the first half.

But the first five minutes of the match were in sharp contrast to how the rest of the script panned out. Brazil was all at sea as soon as the game got underway as Spanish winger Ferran Torres tore open its defence with raids down the right wing twice in the first few minutes.

In the first instance, his cross found an unmarked Mohamed Moukhliss but his shot was parried away by Brazilian goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao. But on the second occasion, Torres worked his magic with his deft footwork and sent a low cross into the box where an unmarked Moukhliss was waiting to slot the ball in. But before the ball reached Moukhliss, Wesley slid in to thwart danger only to see the ball brush his leg and reach the back of the net.

Down by a goal in the game, Brazilians didn't let their heads drop and slowly clawed their way back into the match. The triumvirate of Brenner, Paulinho and Lincoln, who were kept quiet in the first quarter of the match, slowly began to get into their stride and the Brazilian moves began to gather momentum.

In other matches it was: Germany 2, Costa Rica 1; Iran 3, Guinea 1; Niger 1, North Korea 0. — Agencies