Neymar surpassed Ronaldo and moved to second on Brazil’s all-time goalscoring list with a hat-trick in a 4-2 win against Peru in World Cup qualifying.
Two penalties and a last-minute tap-in took the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s tally to 64 for his country, two ahead of Ronaldo and 13 behind Pele’s all-time record of 77.
Everton’s Richarlison scored Brazil’s other goal as the five-time world champion twice had to come from behind to secure the win.
Brazil head coach Tite told reporters after the match that it was “unfair” to compare Neymar and Ronaldo.
“What I can say is Neymar has this unpredictability,” he said. “He is the bow and the arrow, he’s a player who both makes and takes chances. And he gets better and better, and more mature.”
The match had a number of controversial VAR moments, particularly the decision to award Neymar a second penalty late in the game with the score tied at 2-2, a decision which surprised even the Brazilian players.
Peru’s anger was compounded in stoppage time when Carlos Zambrano was shown a red card for an elbow on Richarlison. The Everton forward had escaped punishment for a similar incident earlier in the match that left Peru’s Miguel Trauco with a bloody wound above his eye.
The latest incidents added to a growing list of decisions that have left South American fans scratching their heads during this international break, the first time VAR has been used in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers
Brazil’s victory ensures it begins the grueling 18-month campaign with a 100% record to top the standings on six points along with Argentina, which secured an impressive 2-1 win in the altitude of La Paz, Bolivia earlier in the day.
The top four teams will qualify automatically for Qatar 2022, with the fifth-placed team competing in a two-legged playoff against a country from another continent.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.