Both of Brazilian goals in their 2-1 Group C victory over Uruguay at the men's soccer competition of the 21st University Games were off-side, said Uruguayan coach Juan Verzeri at the press conference on Thursday.
Goals from De Feritas Junio and Matias Rogerio in the first half gave Brazil the win while Uruguay's lone goal came in six minutes after the break.
"From my point of view, both of them were off-side," Verzeri said after the defeat. "But the referee did not rule them so."
"So it was difficult for us to get into the second half with two goals down," he added.
Brazilian head coach Bebeto Stiugl declined to comment on the goals.
"My job is to teach my team how to play on the field," Stiugl said. "I am not the referee."
The result, coupled with Uruguay's 2-0 defeat against Morocco on Tuesday, means the Uruguayans became the first team to be eliminated at the 16-squad tournament.
Although extremely disappointed after the second consecutive loss at the Universiade, Verzeri roused himself to the reality.
"We lost the game and had no chance to get out of the group, but friendship is more important than competitions," he said.
Sixteen squads are competing in four preliminary groups with top two finishers from each group qualifying for the quarter- finals.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/23/2001)
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