BRASILIA, Brazil, July 18, (AFP): Brazil’s media were scathing on Monday after the national team were unceremoniously dumped from the Copa America by Paraguay in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out.
The Paraguayans were on the rack for much of the match but the Brazilians, the holders of the trophy, wasted several chances and then missed all four of their spot-kicks as their rivals advanced 2-0 to a semi-final with Venezuela.
“Historic incompetence,” was the verdict of national daily O Globo, which saw the five-time world champions eliminated “in embarrassing fashion”.
O Globo noted the match had taken place on the anniversary of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup success over Italy, which likewise came in a shoot-out following a goalless draw. Correio Braziliense was no less forgiving.
“What incompetence!” was the glaring headline in the paper, which added that the manner of the exit “places a question mark over the work of coach Mano Menezes and over his remaining in the job until the 2014 World Cup”.

Menezes, who took over from Dunga after a quarter-final exit to Holland at last summer’s World Cup, said all along that the 2014 event, which Brazil will host for the first time since 1950, is the overriding priority — but that could not mask current shortcomings in the media’s eyes. Correio Braziliense said that Menezes’ insistence that the poor state of the pitch had played a major role in their exit was farcical.
“After the Brazilians’ disastrous showing, they tried to shift the blame and were unanimous in pinning it on the pitch,” the paper wrote.
Jornal de Brasilia summed things up by saying: “Brazil did not manage to score a goal in normal time, nor in extra-time, and, worse still, not even in the penalty shoot-out.”
The same paper published a picture of young starlet Neymar covering his face at the end, accompanied by the caption: “They cannot hide their shame. It seems like a joke in poor taste — but it isn’t.
“Brazil achieved the unthinkable — they were given four penalties and missed the lot.”
Elano, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos and Fred were the guilty parties.
Estado de Sao Paulo daily said the “attack was useless” and that “Menezes’ side bowed out of the Copa America quite miserably”.

Meanwhile, Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino said his men had shown great character in holding Brazil before dumping the reigning champions out of the Copa America on Sunday.
“We made a lot of sacrifices and showed a lot of heart, and our keeper did really well,” said Martino after his side made light of the injury absence of striker Roque Santa Cruz to secure a win on a penalty shootout after 120 minutes had ended scoreless.
Brazil had the lion’s share of both possession and chances but failed to convert their superiority - a header from substitute Fred, who had rescued a draw last week against the same opponents in the group phase, was cleared off the line while Ganso and Pato also came close.
Martino, leading a Paraguayan side whose last continental title came in 1979, to a semifinal meeting with Venezuela, said Brazil should have taken their chances. “Brazil should probably have won it over the 90 minutes,” said Martino handler.
He added his men deserved credit for twice holding the auriverde at the event before proving themselves slightly better at taking spotkicks than the samba stars, who flunked all four of theirs.
Paraguay, reaching the semis for the first time since the tournament introduced its current format in 1993, thanked their 34-year-old keeper Justo Villar for a fine showing which kept them alive as he saved Thiago Silva’s penalty following a series of smart stops over the 120 minutes.
“It really took it out of us playing Brazil - they dominated almost the whole match. But the team kept its shape and kept its concentration and those factors took us through,” said Villar.
“In the penalty shootout we took ours better but it’s still a lottery,” he added.
“It’s a shame. We did okay for the first 90 minutes, had a chance cleared off the line but we didn’t do enough in the final analysis,” said Brazil defender Maicon.