BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil — Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez led Uruguay to a comfortable 4-0 win over 10-man Ecuador in the Copa America on Sunday.
Uruguay also scored with Nicolas Lodeiro and an own-goal by Ecuadorean defender Arturo Mina in the Group C match at the Mineirao Stadium.
Uruguay played with an extra man from the 24th minute after Ecuador’s Jose Quintero was red-carded for elbowing Lodeiro during a ball dispute. Quintero was initially given a yellow card, but video review determined he deserved a red.
Uruguay was already in control when Quintero was sent off at the Mineirao, which held a small crowd of about 13,000 people.
Lodeiro opened the scoring in style in the sixth minute, controlling a pass from Suarez inside the area and lobbying the ball over a defender before finding the net.
Cavani had two close-range attempts saved by Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez before finally scoring with a volley in the 33rd, then Suarez added to the lead after a corner kick in the 44th.
The fourth goal came when Mina as he tried to clear a ball crossed into the area in the 78th. The goal also had to be confirmed by video review.
Qatar surprises Paraguay with draw in Copa America debut
RIO DE JANEIRO — Qatar refused to panic as it recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Paraguay in its Copa America debut on Sunday.
The Asian champions could have done even better at the Maracana but Paraguay goalkeeper Gatito Fernandez performed outstandingly in the first half of the match.
Qatar had a terrible start, falling behind in the first four minutes. Miguel Almiron took a free kick from the left edge of the box and Fabian Balbuena nodded the ball onto the right hand of Pedro Miguel. Veteran Oscar Cardozo scored from the resulting penalty to make it 1-0 to the South Americans.
But Qatar, amid its preparations for the 2022 World Cup, held on and dominated ball possession as its Spanish coach Felix Sanchez desired. At halftime, the Qataris had some 60% of possession against Paraguay, a team that has failed to qualify for the last two World Cups and is trying to rebuild.
At the final whistle the Qataris had 56% possession.
At the beginning of the second half, Paraguay replaced Hernan Perez with Derlis Gonzalez, a change that had a quick impact. After 52 minutes, Gonzalez assisted Cardozo with a low cross, but the goal was disallowed by video review. In the 56th, Gonzalez fired in a long-range shot to the left of Qatar’s Saad Alsheeb to make it 2-0.
Qatar did not feel intimidated, instead taking inspiration from the iconic 87,000-seat stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The 20,000 fans mostly supported Qatar.
The reward came after 68 minutes when Almoez Ali received the ball on the left edge of the box, moved toward the centre and sent a powerful shot past Fernandez.
At 77 minutes, Qatar made it 2-2 after a series of passes reached Boualem Khoukhi. Fernandez almost blocked the shot.
"Our team reacted well. The boys believed all the time that they could regroup," Sanchez said. "We didn’t start well in either half, we conceded goals too quickly in the first half. In the end it was a fair result."
Paraguay coach Eduardo Berizzo said he was impressed with Qatar’s quality.
"They are very good indeed," Berizzo said. "But for us (the draw) was a punishment."
Colombia leads Group B with three points. Qatar and Paraguay are level on one point, Argentina has zero.
Qatar next faces Colombia in Sao Paulo, and Paraguay takes on Argentina in Belo Horizonte.
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