By JOEL BAILEY Saturday, September 6 2008

BRAZIL inflicted a 4-0 beating on hosts Trinidad and Tobago in their friendly men’s Under-16 football contest at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna on Thursday.

Sanches Wellington, Santos Neymar, Mota Willen and Cirino Marcelo were the goal-getters for the Brazilians, in front of a sparse crowd which included their countryman and former FIFA president Joao Havelange, who is here as part of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) centennial celebrations.

Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper John Thomas had to be alert to deny midfielder Vinicius Maycon in the fourth minute, while TT defender Omar Charles’ long clearance in the seventh minute met his captain Jerrel Britto, whose audacious left-footed effort went wide.

After that, it was constant bombardment by the Brazilian attackers, with midfielder Wellington, playmaker Correia Coutinho and Neymar coming close to breaking the deadlock.

Eventually Wellington opened the scoring in the 33rd, curling a left-footed freekick though the hands of goalie Thomas, after Coutinho was brought down by Ross Russell junior.

Coutinho, easily the best player on the Brazilian line-up, contributed to his team’s second goal a minute later, splitting the defence with a pass to Neymar who rounded the advancing Thomas and tucking his left-footer into the open net.

Britto had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 37th, from a pass by Ryan Fredericks, but the striker shockingly fell and lost possession inside the penalty box.

Both teams had their moments in the second half, with midfielder Shahdon Winchester missing a pair of opportunities for the hosts – his 70th minute right-footer was held by goalie Loreno Guilherme while the Brazilian keeper blocked Winchester’s effort in the 72nd.

Seconds later, Brazil notched their third, with Willen heading a right-sided centre from right wing-back Carvalho Crystian beyond the reach of Thomas.

Neymar and Marcelo missed a pair of opportunities before Marcelo completed the scoring in stoppage time, receiving a diagonal pass from Coutinho and drilling his right-footer beyond the advancing Thomas.

The Trinidad and Tobago team is preparing for the CONCACAF Under-17 Championships in Mexico next April, for one of four available spots at the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

Teams –

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: John Thomas; Zavion Navarro, Rashad Wint, Omar Charles (Akeem Grant 82nd), Shaquille Stewart; Shahdon Winchester, Luke Hernandez (Moriba Ballah 56th), Ross Russell (Vernell Ramirez 56th), Ryan Fredericks; Cordell Cato (Regan Gaulteau 69th), Jerrel Britto (capt).

BRAZIL: Loreno Guilherme (Ramses Alisson 81st); Fraga Gerson (capt)(Carvalho Mauricio 70th), Fernando Sidimar, Carvalho Crystian, Lourenco Eron (Luis Weriton 77th); Jose Elivelton, Sanches Wellington (Francisco Guaraci 80th), Vinicius Maycon (Geraldinho Pedro 66th), Correia Coutinho; Santos Neymar (Henrique Carlos 79th), Mota Willen (Cirino Marcelo 77th).