Brazil are "convinced" they will come good at the Copa America, as they aim to get back on track after a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica, so says Dorival Junior.
The Selecao were frustrated in their opening Group D match, accumulating 1.71 expected goals and having 19 shots, though only three were on target.
With Colombia having started their campaign with a win over Paraguay, the pressure is on Brazil to deliver when they face the same opponent on Friday.
Coach Dorival, though, urged for calm heads and a touch of patience.
He told reporters: "It's natural that we all expected a slightly different result in the last game, but we can't fail to appreciate how we performed. The way we put our opponents in their defence.
"I am convinced of what we are doing and what we are achieving. It is work we have just started, but I think we are progressing in a balanced way.
"We have to be calm, balanced and confident. If every game we have doubts about everything we are doing, we will get nowhere.
"We need to understand it's a time of change, of transition, you can't build a team overnight.
"It's a natural process. The team has shown more positives than negatives in every match, not just the last one."
Brazil will need more cutting edge than they showed on matchday one.
They made 695 passes in their opening match, more than any other team in the first round of the competition.
The omens are not brilliant, either. Brazil and Paraguay have drawn their last four encounters in the Copa America. These four draws represent the longest consecutive streak of draws between two teams in the history of the competition.
United States v Uruguay: Confidence returning ahead of crunch Copa America clash, claims Adams
Tyler Adams says the confidence has returned to the United States' camp in the wake of their shock defeat to Panama.
The USA lost 2-1 in Atlanta on Thursday, with Panama taking advantage after Timothy Weah was sent off early on.
That defeat leaves the Copa America hosts in a perilous position in Group C. They are ahead of Panama on goal difference, but the Stars and Stripes must play in-form Uruguay in their last match, while Panama face Bolivia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.
But in spite of the pressure on Gregg Berhalter's team ahead of Monday's encounter with Marcelo Bielsa's side, Adams says there is a positive mood in the camp.
"We're all confident again, you know, when we have 11 players on the field that we can go toe to toe with anybody," Adams told reporters.
"The training was good today. I think we saw the intensity. And we're going to need that from the first minute against Uruguay."
Antonee Robinson is well aware of the stakes.
"It's definitely going to come down to a massive effort from the team," he said.
"I mean, if we're looking at realistically, there's a chance that this is our last game in the tournament, so there's no reason to hold anything back. We're all going to have to give everything in this game."
Uruguay hammered Bolivia 5-0 in their last outing, with Bielsa's team highly likely to top the group, albeit that could result in a last-16 meeting with Brazil, who are second in Group D.
Darwin Nunez is the focal point of Uruguay's attack under Bielsa, though the former Leeds United coach is not concerned with the forward's sometimes-erratic finishing.
"All players who are consistent goal scorers know how to finish," Bielsa said.
"But then they are also human and so they will have times where that capacity will be more evident and other times when it is less evident.
"Darwin is a player who does not need much support. The only thing that concerns me is whether he gets in positions, which he does extraordinarily well, to score, impact games, finish the moves, or choose where to place the shot."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
United States - Folarin Balogun
Former Arsenal attacker Balogun scored a stunner against Panama, and also went close to a sensational second.
With his back-up, Ricardo Pepi, underperforming his 2.27 expected goals (xG), the pressure is on Balogun to lead the USA's line. He is doing an admirable job so far, with two goals in as many matches, so do not be shocked to see him keep up that form.
Uruguay - Darwin Nunez
Nunez has scored in his first two Copa America matches.
Only four Uruguay players have scored in their first three matches in the competition: Pedro Petrone (1923), Mario Bergara (1959), Vladas Douskas (1959), and Jorge Oyarbide (1967).
MATCH PREDICTION: URUGUAY WIN
The USA might need the points, but the Opta supercomputer is backing Uruguay.
Uruguay have not started with three victories in a row since 1959, when they defeated Ecuador (4-0), Brazil (3-0) and Argentina (5-0).
These teams will face each other in the Copa America for the first time since 1993, when Uruguay won 1-0.
La Celeste have won four of their last five matches against CONCACAF opponents in the competition (1L), and kept a clean sheet in three of those five games.
Uruguay's two victories against the USA were in the only two non-friendly matches they have played (3-0 at the Paris Olympics in 1924 and 1-0 in the 1993 Copa America).
In fact, Uruguay are the only CONMEBOL team that have not been able to beat the United States while playing in North America.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
USA - 21.6%
Uruguay - 56.1%
Draw - 22.3%
Martinez putting World Cup frustration behind him as Copa America Golden Boot beckons
Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez feels he has put his World Cup struggles firmly behind him by getting amongst the goals at the Copa America.
Martinez scored twice as Argentina saw off Peru 2-0 in their final Group A game on Saturday.
That victory ensured the holders progressed to the quarter-finals as group winners, as expected, and they will now face either Venezuela, Mexico or Ecuador.
Inter forward Martinez, who was the leading scorer in Serie A in 2023-24, finished the group stage as not only the tournament's leading scorer, but also the Argentina player with the most shots (nine), despite not starting two out of the three games.
Yet standing in for Lionel Messi, who was rested, Martinez thrived, and he believes he has cast aside his woes from the Qatar World Cup, where he failed to get on the scoresheet.
"I'm happy, because I was able to score in the three group-stage games and because I was able to help the team, which is what counts," the 26-year-old told TyC Sports.
"I'm fine, as I said when the match with Chile ended, I had a great season at my club and I felt good.
"I felt ready to get rid of the thorn from the World Cup, that was important for me, to prepare well for the Copa America, which I did and I'm showing it. Let's keep working."
Martinez is two goals ahead of any other player in the Copa America Golden Boot race as it stands.
In fact, since his debut in the Copa America in 2019, Martinez is the tournament's top scorer with nine goals (two in 2019, three in 2021, four in 2024), four more than Messi and Luis Diaz (five each).
Meanwhile, Argentina assistant Walter Samuel, who was filling in for the suspended Lionel Scaloni, suggested that Messi is on course to be fit for the quarter-finals.
"He was in the locker room, we noticed [he was] better," said Samuel.
"The situation is improving but it's a few days and the situation is premature to talk about. We'll talk about it on a day-to-day basis with him, and talk to the doctors."
Martinez was more positive, saying: "Leo is fine, we hope he can be in the next game. I dedicated the goal to him because I know what Leo means to us."
Angel Di Maria added: "Leo is fine, he's recovering, we hope he will be ready for the next game. Today's victory is for him."
Argentina have won their first three matches of a Copa America on 18 occasions. However, this is only the third time they have done so in their last 12 participations (along with 2007 and 2016).
Marsch: Canada 'not satisfied' after reaching Copa America quarters
Jesse Marsch and his Canada team are not satisfied with their achievements so far after reaching the Copa America quarter-finals.
A goalless draw with 10-man Chile on Saturday was enough to send Marsch's side into the last eight.
Canada finished second in Group A behind Argentina, and will now face either Venezuela, Ecuador or Mexico in the quarters.
The Reds became the third team from outside CONMEBOL to reach the knockout rounds in their first Copa America appearance after Mexico (1993) and Honduras (2001), but former Leeds United boss Marsch is not done yet.
"We are not satisfied. The group is not satisfied. They want to keep going," Marsch said.
"They know, no matter who our next opponent is, it will be a difficult match. But they believe in themselves. We're excited for this next challenge.
"I'm challenging them to grow and get better, to be more savvy professionals, more mature players.
"I've been incredibly impressed by them, from the first training session. I'm enjoying being their coach. I'm proud of this accomplishment. But again, we're not satisfied."
With their numerical advantage, Canada kept Chile at arm's length at Inter&Co Stadium, restricting the two-time Copa America champions to just 0.52 expected goals (xG).
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