Brazil Boosted Ahead of Copa America after 3-2 Win against Mexico

Andreas Pereira #19 of Brazil celebrates after scoring a goal in the first half against the Mexico during an international friendly at Kyle Field on June 08, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
Andreas Pereira #19 of Brazil celebrates after scoring a goal in the first half against the Mexico during an international friendly at Kyle Field on June 08, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Brazil Boosted Ahead of Copa America after 3-2 Win against Mexico

Andreas Pereira #19 of Brazil celebrates after scoring a goal in the first half against the Mexico during an international friendly at Kyle Field on June 08, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
Andreas Pereira #19 of Brazil celebrates after scoring a goal in the first half against the Mexico during an international friendly at Kyle Field on June 08, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)

Brazil enjoyed the perfect warm-up as they secured a 3-2 win over Mexico in their pre-Copa America friendly in Kyle Field stadium in Texas on Saturday.

Coach Dorival Junior, who assumed the Brazil job in January, decided to rest first-choice players such as Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Raphinha. His decision paid off as they took an early lead when Andreas Pereira scored from a Savio pass in the 5th.

Mexico enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half but lacked the cutting edge to test goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who replaced the injured Ederson after he was ruled out with a fractured eye socket.

Brazil doubled their lead nine minutes after the break when Eder Militao's long throw-in was met by Yan Couto, who flicked the ball back into the area for Gabriel Martinelli to tap in alone.

The Mexican side weren't done yet, though, as Julian Quinones scored in the 73rd minute from Alexis Vega's superb cross, before Guillermo Martinez Ayala equalized in the 92nd minute of added time.

But it was young prodigy Endrick who sealed Brazil's victory four minutes later, heading in a cross from Vinicius Jr, who had come on as a substitute.

"I'm very grateful to God for another opportunity to score for the national team. Thanks to the squad and Dorival's excellent work. We trained well and I hope we can work even harder because the goal is to win Copa America," said 17-year-old Endrick after the match.

The nine-times champions face the US in another warm-up friendly on Wednesday before opening their Copa America campaign against Costa Rica on June 24 followed by Paraguay four days' later and Colombia on July 2.

The quadrennial tournament will be held in the United States from June 20-July 14.



Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
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Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Aiming to punctuate the best year of his career with another big title, top-ranked Alexander Zverev got his ATP Finals campaign off to a strong start with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over debutant Rafael Jodar on Sunday.

Zverev claimed his first two Grand Slam titles this year and ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time. He’s aiming for his third trophy at Finals after taking the season-ending event in 2018 and 2021.

“It's been a very good year for me. A lot of things that I've wanted to achieve I have achieved this year," Zverev said, according to The Associated Press. “But playing here you can never take it for granted.”

The 20-year-old Jodar is the first man to qualify for the Finals in the same season that he made his tour-level debut in.

The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Zverev dominated with his serve, cranking out 10 aces on the fast indoor surface, and consistently applied pressure on Jodar’s serve.

It was a convincing performance for Zverev after entering on a two-match losing streak that included a straight-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti in his first match as No. 1.

“To start the tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 win is always very, very nice,” Zverev said. “I still think I have a lot of things to improve. It was not a perfect match.”

The only time Zverev got in trouble was when he faced two break points while attempting to serve out the first set. He hit an ace on the first break point and a service winner on the second and then another ace before closing the set out.

“He served very good in those two points, so I didn’t have any chance,” Jodar said.


Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
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Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Ronaldinho made his return to professional football on Sunday for Ravenna, an ambitious club in Italy's third tier aiming to reach Serie A.

The 46-year-old Brazilian great put in a low-key performance in his first competitive match since playing for Fluminense in 2015, as Ravenna took on local rivals Forli bidding for promotion.

The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner only played in the first half but was involved in the move which ended with Giulio Donati smashing hosts Ravenna ahead in the 36th minute.

Ronaldinho entered the field to great fanfare, with the 5,000-capacity Stadio Bruno Benelli adding a temporary stand with 1,800 places -- dubbed "R10" -- for the occasion.

Flares and smoke bombs were let off in the stands while Andrea Bocelli's "Con Te Partiro" blasting out of the stadium's speakers.

Ravenna, who have not even played in Serie B since 2008, are second in their regional group in Serie C and came into the weekend's fixtures six points behind leaders Spezia.

One team for each of the three groups will be directly promoted to Serie B, with the final spot in the second tier decided by a play-off.


Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
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Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA

The Saudi U15 girls' national football team begins its training camp today in Jeddah. The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions.

The camp aims to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness and strengthen team cohesion through a training program developed by the coaching staff, SPA reported.

The program is designed to improve performance and prepare the team for the next phase.

The camp is part of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's development plan for the U15 girls' national team.