EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - After a World Cup where they failed to live up to expectations, the smiles appeared to return to Brazilian faces again on Tuesday after a new-look team beat the United States 2-0 in a friendly.
The bright and lively performance from the team coached for the first time by Mano Menezes was in stark contrast to the downbeat displays of the Dunga squad.
Goals from debutant winger Neymar and striker Alexandre Pato were enough to see off the hosts. But the manner of the win, highlighted by delightful passing and that old Brazilian joy in evidence again, displayed a clear change of mood in the team.
"We enjoyed to play, I was happy, happy to be back. It's fun to play with great players with skill but we also know we have a responsibility to work hard," said Pato.
Menezes has had little time to work with his new team and his decision to inject a distinctly Santos-flavoured attack paid off in his first attempt to create a more fluid form of soccer.
"I thought that the way that we performed reflected our style and our philosophy. It was not so much about the practice that we did but about the talent of the players," he said.
"The tactics and the positional set-up certainly helped and at the moment that is the role of the coach"
Brazil back to samba football
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - After a World Cup where they failed to live up to expectations, the smiles appeared to return to Brazilian faces again on Tuesday after a new-look team beat the United States 2-0 in a friendly.
The bright and lively performance from the team coached for the first time by Mano Menezes was in stark contrast to the downbeat displays of the Dunga squad.
Goals from debutant winger Neymar and striker Alexandre Pato were enough to see off the hosts. But the manner of the win, highlighted by delightful passing and that old Brazilian joy in evidence again, displayed a clear change of mood in the team.
"We enjoyed to play, I was happy, happy to be back. It's fun to play with great players with skill but we also know we have a responsibility to work hard," said Pato.
Menezes has had little time to work with his new team and his decision to inject a distinctly Santos-flavoured attack paid off in his first attempt to create a more fluid form of soccer.
"I thought that the way that we performed reflected our style and our philosophy. It was not so much about the practice that we did but about the talent of the players," he said.
"The tactics and the positional set-up certainly helped and at the moment that is the role of the coach"