A DULL overcast day gave England a much better chance of a result when they took on the reigning World Champions, Brazil in the magnificent Maracana Stadium. The usual hot baking sun had relented just in time for this, the first of four tour games of the Americas.

Brazil made a late change, bringing in Julinho in place of the legendary Garrincha. It was a controversial choice but one that was entirely vindicated after only three minutes play. For it was at that moment that Julinho opened the scoring after splendid approach play by Canhoteiro and Henrique down the left. The goal had come before England even had time to settle and it took them until the eighth minute to manage their first attack.

Brazil showed plenty of the magical skills now so world famous and their build up was a joy to watch. The huge crowd were soon cheering their favourites passionately and Julinho earned more applause when another good effort struck the England post.

England, slow and ragged, only managed the occasional raid. Peter Broadbent and Norman Deeley both shot over, but their attacks were rare and Brazil emphasised their superiority with a second goal on 28 minutes. Julinho was again prominent in the move and his dazzling skill spread-eagled the England defence. Eventually his pass inside found Henrique completely unmarked and the centre-forward easily beat Eddie Hopkinson from close range.

The visitors managed two other efforts before the break: in the 37th minute when Johnny Haynes failed to get any real power behind his shot; four minutes later, Bobby Charlton hit a typical long-range effort which crashed against Gilmar's post. To complete an eventful end to the half, apparently uninjured, to be replaced by Fidelis in the 43rd minute.

An incredible miss by Pelé in the 53rd minute, when he shot wide of an open goal, kept England in the game, but the visitors continually outplayed and even when they mounted a rare attack, they were thwarted by the strong Brazilian defence. The full-back pairing of Nilton Santos was particularly impressive.

On the hour, Haynes put in a worthy attempt, only to be foiled by a marvellous save by Gilmar. That shot ended one of the few good moves by England.

As the game petered out, the floodlights came on. The crowd had by now lost interest in the game as the result was not in question, but in the 73rd minute a fierce tackle by Ronnie Clayton on Pelé ended with the Brazilian star being carried off. Pelé returned to the action after a couple of minutes but the Blackburn Rovers player again incurred the wrath of the spectators after another fearsome challenge, this time on Canhoteiro.

Towards the end, England showed some improvement, although it was mainly due to the Brazilians easing off. Nevertheless, Haynes was unlucky to see another good drive pushed on to a post by Gilmar. This stung Brazil into more urgency and in the final minutes, Julinho, twice, and Canhoteiro put in shots that fizzed past Hopkinson's posts. At the end of the day England, although fighting hard, were well beaten.
   

England's first match of a four-game summer tour was a minor test against the new world champions in front of 185,000 screaming fans in the Maracana Stadium in Rio. Bobby Charlton and Johnny Haynes rapped shots against the post after England had gone 2-0 down to early goals against a Brazilian team that featured both Didi and Pele in a rare appearance together. Blackpool's Jimmy Armfield was given a chasing he will not forget by Julinho in what was a baptism of fire for the Blackpool defender. He was called in to partner Don Howe in an out-of-club position at left-back. Norman Deeley, small, direct Wolves winger, was the fifth player to wear the number seven shirt since the departure of the one and only Tom Finney. Goalkeeper Eddie Hopkinson saved two certain goals from Pele, but could do nothing to stop a thunderbolt from Julinho, who had been picked in preference to the great Garrincha. As Eddie Hopkinson lay on the ground after being beaten all ends up by Julinho's shot, a posse of Brazilian radio commentators rushed on to the pitch to try to interview him. It is  just as well that they could not translate his direct comments delivered in Lancastrian tones! England were well and truly beaten by the world champions and did well to keep their score down to just two goals. Didi and Pele together was just about the most potent combination that any team in the world could put together. Ronnie Clayton clattered into Pele with a tackle that led to the king being carried off on a stretcher for treatment. He soon came back, but for the rest of the game Clayton's life was made hell by the Brazilians fans who would not forgive him for hurting their idol. Shortly before he was carried off Pele missed a sitter right in front of an open goal. He was human, after all.
 

The opening match of England's tour of the Americas was played in cloudy, oppressive conditions before a crowd of 160,000. Within two minutes Brazil, World Cup holders, were in the lead, when Julinho scored. Little was seen of England's attack, but the defence held out until the half-hour, when Henrique put Brazil further ahead after an opening had been made by Julinho. England fought harder in the second half, and Charlton and Haynes hit the Brazilian woodwork, but there could be no doubts that Brazil were the better side. Their ball-control was too much for our players, while for England, Clayton, Wright, and Flowers continued to make a strong-tackling half-back line, and Hopkinson made several fine saves.