Brazil hopes to avoid stumbling in opener

Published Jul. 2, 2011 8:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

Brazil faces Venezuela in its opener in the Copa America on Sunday, hoping to avoid the unimpressive start of the host team and co-favorite Argentina.

Argentina could scramble only a 1-1 draw on Friday against Bolivia in the curtain-raiser of the 3 1/2-week South American championship.

Bolivia and Venezuela are traditionally the two weakest teams in South America and, like Argentina, Brazil has a side brimming with stars who are expected to overwhelm the opposition.

''Venezuela will also create problems for us,'' Brazil coach Mano Menezes said on Saturday. ''But how severe will depend on how we play.''

Menezes, who is using mostly young players looking ahead to the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, is likely to start Robinho, Alexandre Pato and Neymar up front. Neymar's teammate at Santos, Paulo Henrique Ganso, will be directing play from midfield.

''We have great players and if we play well we can dominate with our game,'' said Menezes, who hopes to lead Brazil to its third conseutive Copa America title. It defeated Argentina in the last two finals.

Brazil's match on Sunday will be in La Plata, about 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Buenos Aires. The other Group B match is Paraguay vs. Ecuador in Santa Fe.

Venezuela coach Cesar Farias suggested his team would not be awed by Brazil.

''We also have players with European clubs,'' Farias said. ''We don't have the star level of Brazil, but this is football and it's a team game. If we can get a point against Brazil it will send a message about the hopes we have here.''

Venezuela's top scoring threat is likely to be Nicolas Fedor of Spanish club Getafe and Jose Salomon Rondon, who plays for Spain's Malaga.