Ronaldinho-led Brazil rallies past U.S., 4-2, in Chicago

Carlos Bocanegra sat in the locker room after Sunday’s 4-2 exhibition loss to Brazil at Chicago, telling his U.S. team how misleading the final score was.

U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey, who had evened the score at 2-2 in the 73rd minute, agreed.

“We showed better than a 4-2 result,” he said. “A 3-2 score would have been just.”

After the U.S. struck first with Bocanegra’s goal in the 21st minute, the Brazilians made it 1-1 when U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu scored an own goal in the 33rd minute. On that play, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard knocked Kaka’s close-range shot away only to see the ball hit Onyewu’s chest and go in.

After the teams each scored again, Brazil went up 3-2 in the 75th minute when Ronaldinho scored on a free kick.

“It was virtually impossible to see the ball,” Howard said of the play. “It was part me, part the guys on the wall. When you give Brazil an inch, they’ll take it.”

--Chicago Tribune

Mexico beat Panama, 1-0, on an own goal by Felipe Baloy in an exhibition at Puebla, Mexico. Both coaches agreed to end the game after the first half because of heavy rain.