Mexico have beaten Copa América holders Brazil 2-0 in their Copa América Group B match in what was a highly entertaining match in Puerto Ordaz on Wednesday, with goals from Olympiakos striker Nery Castillo scoring the opener against the run of play, and the El Tri then doubling their score with a sublime free-kick from Chivas midfielder Ramón Morales.

Brazil tried hard to bring themselves back into the match in the second-half, but Hugo Sanchez’s team played well on the break and his goalkeeper Francisco Guillermo Ochoa made some stunning saves to keep a clean-sheet.

Brazil had complete control of the match during the early stages and should have taken the lead in the 6th minute, when Diego had a decent chance on goal, with Alex having another chance in the 11th minute, with a long-range shot that went inches wide of the Mexico goal, but Mexico goalkeeper Ochoa was diving to cover.

Pachuca striker Juan Carlos Cacho had Mexico’s first attempt on goal in the 20th minute, which went just wide of the Brazil goal, not causing the inexperienced Brazilian keeper Doni any problems in the Seleçao goal.

The pressure from Brazil was constant, but the solid defending from Mexico paid off when, in the 23rd minute Olympiakos striker Nery Castillo broke through the Brazil defence, flicking the ball over Maicon and slamming home a goal from close-range past Doni to make it 1-0 to Mexico, completely against the run-of-play.

From then on Mexico were the team in command, with Brazil having to repeatedly repel the incisive runs from Castillo and Cacho.

Just before the half-hour mark, a free-kick was awarded to Mexico, 5 yards from the edge of the Brazil penalty-area after Elano pulled down Castro. Chivas midfielder Ramón Morales stepped up to take a stunning, curling free-kick that flew past Doni, who was left rooted to the spot, to make it 2-0 to the jubilant El Tri.

Mexico finished the half the team in command, taking a shock 2-0 lead into half-time.

Brazil made two substitutions at half-time, with Anderson and Afonso replacing Elano and Diego.

Mexico continued with the pressure in the second-half, with Doni making an excellent save to deny Castillo, but as the hour mark came, Brazil started coming into the match with Afonso stinging the hands of Ochoa in the Mexico goal and Robinho forcing good saves, with Mexico defender Johnny Magallón blocking a shot from Anderson which was goalbound.

Mexico then had a chance on the break, with Castillo and Morales both breaking free, but the Olympiakos forward wasted the opportunity to pass to his team-mate and Doni forced the ball away.

Brazil were throwing everything at Mexico now, with Fausto Pinto clearing a shot from Alex off the goal-line with a strong header and head coach Dunga bringing on Seville’s Daniel Alves to try and find a way through the solid El Tri defence and almost conceded a third in injury-time when Castillo broke free, with only the keeper to beat, but his shot somehow went wide.

Mexico, despite fielding a weakened first-team for the tournament, battled hard to secure an impressive win over Brazil to take them to top place in Group B.

Teams for Brazil v Mexico - Copa América 2007 Group B:

Brazil Team: Doni, Gilberto, Alex Rodrigo, Maicon (Daniel Alves,79), Juan, Gilberto Silva, Mineiro, Elano (Anderson, 46), Diego (Afonso, 46), Robinho, Vagner Love.

Brazil Substitutes: Helton, Naldo, Alex Silva, Kléber, Julio César Baptista, Josué, Fernando, Fred.

Mexico Team: Francisco Guillermo Ochoa, Israel Castro (José Antonio Castro, 75), Johnny Magallón, Rafael Márquez, Fausto Pinto, Jaime Correa, Ramón Morales (Arturo Lozano, 79), Gerardo Torrado, Fernando Enrique Arce, Juan Carlos Cacho (Omar Bravo,70), Nery Castillo.

Mexico Substitutes: Oswaldo Sánchez, Gonzalo Pineda, Francisco Rodríguez, Andres Guardado, Jaime Alberto Medina, Adolfo Bautista, Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

Referee: Sergio Pezzotta

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