Sports
Copa America: Coutinho’s hat-trick help Brazil crush Haiti 7-1
Philippe Coutinho hit a hat-trick as Brazil coasted to a 7-1 Copa America Group B victory over Haiti in Orlando.
Renato Augusto hit a brace for Dunga’s side, while Gabriel and Lucas Lima also netted for the rampant Brazilians with Haiti’s solitary reply coming from James Marcelin.
The defeat means that Haiti are the first team to be eliminated from this year’s tournament.
Romain Genevois was fortunate not to be sent off just two minutes into the contest when he pulled back Coutinho after he had been put through on the goal.
Willian sent the resulting free-kick just over the crossbar and then Coutinho forced Johny Placide into a save as Haiti struggled to deal with Brazil’s movement.
Casemiro had a shot deflected narrowly wide before inevitably Brazil went ahead in the 14th minute through Coutinho.
The Liverpool midfielder picked the ball up on the left and cut inside onto his right foot and sent a superb effort past Placide.
And it was Coutinho who doubled Brazil’s advantage after 29 minutes with the simplest of tap-ins. Dani Alves found Jonas, who played in an unmarked Coutinho in front of an empty net.
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Reginald Goreux blasted a rare Haiti effort well wide of Alisson’s goal before Brazil made it three 10 minutes before the interval after a poor throw out from Placide. The Haiti goalkeeper threw the ball straight to Alves, who took one touch before sending a cross into the box for Augusto to head home.
Brazil added a fourth after 59 minutes when Elias’ perfect throughball sent Gabriel racing away and he drilled a low effort past Placide into the far corner of the net.
Lima was only on the pitch for five minutes before he claimed a fifth goal for Brazil, superbly heading home another Alves cross in the 67th minute.
And three minutes later Haiti capitalised on a rare foray into the Brazil half when Alisson was forced into a save but could only deflect the ball to Marcelin, who lashed home from close range.
Placide then made a brilliant save to turn Willian’s shot behind for a corner but not to be deterred Brazil made it six four minutes from time when Augusto latched onto a loose pass in the Haiti defence and finished with aplomb past Placide.
Coutinho got his hat-trick two minutes into stoppage time, rifling home with the last kick of the game.[divider
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