Brazil beat Peru to end run of four defeats

Brazil ended a run of four successive defeats and six games without a win by beating Peru 2-0 on another day of reserve team football at the Copa America on Sunday.

An early goal by striker Guilherme and a late strike from substitute Denilson gave Luiz Felipe Scolari his first win as Brazil coach in his third game in charge. Guilherme's goal was the first of Scolari's reign.

In the day's second match, Paraguay and Mexico, who like Brazil and Peru were fielding second string teams, played out a goalless draw which sent the Mexicans into the quarter-finals of the devalued competition.

Most teams are taking part without their top players due to fixture congestion and chaotic organisation by the South American Football Confederation, which staged the tournament at six days' notice after earlier postponing it until next year.

Argentina, the continent's strongest team, replied by pulling out altogether and were replaced by Honduras.

Despite the irrelevance of the tournament, Brazil's win was still a morale-booster for a team who face a crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Paraguay on August 15.

Guilherme latched onto a pass by midfielder Alex and fired a first-time shot past goalkeeper Oscar Ibanez in the tenth minute.

Brazil, making six changes from the team that lost 1-0 to Mexico on Thursday, played cautiously for the rest of the match and created few chances.

Peru threatened an equaliser in the second half but their fightback ended when midfielder Santiago Salazar was sent off for a bruising tackle on Juninho Paulista.

In the 86th minute, Denilson burst through the defence and sidefooted the ball into the goal from the edge of the penalty area to give Brazil their first points in group B.

Mexico's draw put them top of the group with four points and guaranteed them a quarter-final place.

Brazil, who have three points, need only a draw against Paraguay on Wednesday to join them. Paraguay are third with two points and Peru bottom with one.

Brazil's last win before this one was against Cameroon in the Confederations Cup in May.

They then drew with Canada and Japan and lost France and Australia in the same competition, were beaten by Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier on July 1 and then Mexico in the Copa America on Thursday.