Fred earns Brazil 2-2 draw with Paraguay

CORDOBA, July 9 (Reuters) - Substitute Fred struck in the final minute as Brazil came from behind to draw 2-2 with Paraguay in Group B at the Copa America on Saturday.

Both teams now have two points from two games and share the lead. Ecuador and Venezuela were playing later (2130 GMT).
Brazil, for whom playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso laid on both goals with similar defence-splitting passes, took the lead six minutes before halftime at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium.
Midfielder Ramires gained possession at the breakdown of a Paraguay attack and fed Ganso who touched the ball perfectly through to Jadson and he wasted no time shooting from the edge of the area low into the bottom corner.
Roque Santa Cruz equalised 11 minutes after the interval when the Brazilian defence failed to clear Marcelo Estigarribia’s cross from the left into the middle of the box and the striker shot into the bottom corner past Julio Cesar.
Paraguay went ahead 12 minutes later when the ever dangerous Estigarribia robbed Daniel Alves on the left of the area and squared to the middle where substitute Nelson Haedo Valdez’s shot came off Lucio but he put it away at the second attempt.
Brazil snatched the equaliser when striker Fred took a perfect through pass into the box from Ganso and fired low past goalkeeper Justo Villar.
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino, rather than ruing Brazil’s late equaliser, said he was pleased with the progress shown by his team since they reached the last eight at the 2010 World Cup.
“Beyond the result, I can say that after two matches here, we have played better than in the World Cup and we have fewer points,” Argentine Martino told the post-match news conference.
FIRST GOAL
The goal by midfielder Jadson, replacing Robinho in the only change to Brazil’s side from the 0-0 draw with Venezuela in La Plata last Sunday, was the first in the group after the opening two matches had finished scoreless.
Brazil coach Mano Menezes, regretting their defensive mistakes, said: “It would have been unfair to have come away from this match defeated. Paraguay did little to beat us.
“We had two other good chances that we missed through making the wrong choice (at the finish)… The final round of (group) games have become decisive because of what (the four teams) have done up to now.”
Paraguay should have gone ahead after just two minutes when Lucas Barrios put fellow striker Santa Cruz through but he sent his left-foot effort over the bar.
Brazil had a good chance in the 19th minute when Jadson and Ganso combined for the playmaker to feed Pato as the striker cut into the box but Villar dived to block his right-foot shot.
Midfielder Enrique Vera had a chance to bury Brazil in the 82nd minute when he had time to feed the unmarked Valdez in the middle but fluffed his pass, then Villar tipped a free kick from Elano over the bar.