Brazil Team Off to Fast Start in Gold Cup Soccer

The Los Angeles Gold Cup soccer tournament got off to a high-scoring start Thursday night when Vasco da Gama of Brazil swept past Club America of Mexico, 5-0, before an estimated crowd of 40,000 at the Coliseum.

Vasco da Gama, which recently won the Rio de Janeiro championship, has four national team players on its roster, including Dunga, who scored the first of his two goals when the game was barely two minutes old.

Dunga’s shot, from about 18 yards out, gave Club America goalkeeper Miguel Zelada little chance. In the closing minute of the first half, Vasco da Gama made it 2-0 when Silva beat Zelada after taking a pass from Dunga.

The Brazilians, playing wide-open, attacking soccer against a clearly outclassed opponent, wasted little time in increasing their advantage in the second 45 minutes.

Tita scored off a pass from Paulo Roberto 1:27 into the second half and, 10 minutes later, added another to make it 4-0. Dunga closed out the scoring in the final minute.

“I felt good, but I feel I could have given more,” Dunga said.

Club America Coach Roberto Rodriguez was philosophical about the loss.

“Soccer is like that,” he said. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. One of the things that is difficult to deal with is when you’re two minutes into the game and it’s 1-0 against you.”

In the second game of the first-round doubleheader, newly crowned Mexican champion Guadalajara was defeated by Argentine champion Rosario Central, 1-0.