Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card
Rio de Janeiro: Defending Copa America champions Brazil defended strongly with 10 men to advance to the semifinals with a 1-0 win against Chile.
Substitute Lucas Paquet scored the only goal of the match only seconds before Gabriel Jesus was sent off early in the second half.
Paquet 's winner to the left corner of Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in the 46th minute gave Brazil fans some hope that the Selecao would ease into the next stage. But only two minutes later Jesus was sent off after hitting Chile's Eugenio Mena with a flying kick.
Neymar and Brazil coach Tite said after the match that Jesus didn't see Mena and accidentally kicked him as he tried to recover possession in the midfield.
Brazil worked so hard defensively that Chile had fewer shots on goal after Jesus was sent off than during the time he played; two against three.
Defending well is a characteristic of ours, Brazil's Thiago Silva said.
Regardless of what we did today we concede few goals. Ever down to 10 we created clear opportunities. I am very proud of this team, for its fighting spirit.
Paquet came onto the pitch after a tense first half with few opportunities for both sides. He replaced Roberto Firmino.
Brazil didn't stop threatening Chile with Neymar's dribbles and quick counter-attacks. But Chile was much closer to the equalizer; it had an Eduardo Vargas goal disallowed for offside and English-Chilean Ben Brereton hit the bar with a header in the 68th minute.
An exhausted Neymar said after the match that playing with 10 men was a great test for Brazil. He was not close to scoring as in other Copa America matches, but he was key by holding possession.
"Every match we need to get some tests to make us stronger, show we can do it in every circumstance," Neymar said.
We had to stand together. It was very hard to do it. Chile's Arturo Vidal said his team will leave the tournament with some pride.
We lost to a great team, a favorite which is playing at home, he said.
If we play like we played today, with some more time to work, this team will clearly have its intensity back. We hope to qualify to the World Cup. It will be hard, but we can.
Peru advanced to the semifinal after beating Paraguay on penalties 4-3 after a 3-3 score in regular time, in the most thrilling Copa America match yet.
Brazil and Peru played the latest Copa America final in 2019, with the hosts winning 3-1. Jesus was also sent off in that match at Rio's Maracana Stadium. Monday's encounter will be at the same Nilton Santos Stadium where Brazil beat Chile.
Brazil coach Tite, who was recently fined by South American soccer body CONMEBOL for criticizing the tournament's organization, once more criticized the quality of the Nilton Santos pitch, despite minor improvements made recently.
If I were watching from home I would say this could have been a good match, and look what it is... Ederson had difficulties to take goal kicks," Tite said.
Please, be responsible. I recognize people are trying to improve the pitch, but find a better pitch for us to play.
The Copa America final will be played at the Maracana Stadium on July 10.
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Delhi polluted owing to Aravalli, says anchor Rajat Sharma; netizens troll him
Noida: India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma has drawn sharp criticism on social media following remarks he made on air attributing Delhi’s air pollution partly to its geographical location and the Aravalli hill range.
Speaking during a recent episode of his prime-time show Aaj Ki Baat, Sharma said Delhi’s geography plays a major role in trapping polluted air.
“Geographical location is the main reason. Delhi is a big city and its shape is like a bowl, surrounded by the Aravalli hills on three sides. As a result, polluted air gets trapped and cannot disperse easily. Therefore, the problem of pollution in Delhi cannot be solved in one year or in any particular season,” he said.
His comments came amid a severe deterioration in air quality in the national capital. On Sunday morning, December 21, Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of toxic smog, sharply reducing visibility and causing widespread discomfort. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 390 around 7 a.m., placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Dense fog and smog also disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). As many as 110 flights were cancelled, while over 370 flights were delayed due to poor visibility. Of the cancelled services, 59 were arriving flights and 51 were departures. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that departing flights faced an average delay of around 26 minutes.
Netizens troll Sharma
One user wrote on X, “Rajat Sharma is saying due to the Aravalli hills, there is air pollution in Delhi. He is defending mining and destroying the Aravalli hills like this. How can these people call themselves journalists?”
Another user accused him of political hypocrisy, comparing his earlier criticism of the Delhi government with his current remarks, and wrote, “In 2023 he blamed Arvind Kejriwal for Delhi air pollution. In 2025, he is blaming the Aravalli hills because BJP is in power. Hypocrisy = 100%, Journalism = 00%.”
Others termed the comments an example of the “godi media” narrative, alleging that geography was being blamed instead of governance, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction dust, and stubble burning. “When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to nature,” another post read.
“Friends, what can one even say about today’s godi media? According to them, the reason for Delhi’s pollution is that the Aravalli hills surround the city from three sides, trapping polluted air inside. Seriously? So now Sudhir Chaudhary and Rajat Sharma want us to believe that nature itself is to blame? When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to geography. Apparently, it’s not years of environmental destruction or administrative failure—it’s the Aravalli hills! Does this explanation make any sense at all?,” wrote another.
What is the Aravali issue?
The controversy arises over the Union government’s revised definition of what constitutes the Aravalli hills.
The decision has drawn protests involving environmental activists across Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of the Delhi-NCR region, who have raised concerns that the new definition could weaken protection for one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.
Under the revised definition, an “Aravalli hill” is described as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief, while an “Aravalli range” is defined as a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. Activists fear this could open the door for mining, construction, and commercial activities in previously protected areas.
Environmentalists argue that the Aravalli range serves as a natural barrier against desertification, dust storms, and pollution, and plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in the Delhi-NCR region.
They have demanded that the entire Aravalli range be declared a fully protected area with strict conservation measures.
Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has stated that the new definition, accepted by the Supreme Court based on a Centre-led panel’s recommendations, would not result in any relaxation of mining norms in the Aravalli region.
Rajat Sharma is saying due to Aravalli hills there is Air pollution in Delhi. He is defending mining & destroying Aravalli hills like this
— Veena Jain (@Vtxt21) December 21, 2025
How can these people call themselves Journalists even after doing such things 🤮
pic.twitter.com/osgDAYl6Nb
🚨 2023 : Rajat Sharma was blaming Arvind Kejriwal for delhi air pollution
— Amock_ (@Amockx2022) December 21, 2025
🚨 2025 : He is blaming Aravalli Hills for delhi air pollution because BJP is in govt
Hypocrisy = 100%, Journalism = 00% 🤣 pic.twitter.com/EHCrAmAfGY
Friends, what can one even say about today’s godi media? According to them, the reason for Delhi’s pollution is that the Aravalli hills surround the city from three sides, trapping polluted air inside. Seriously? So now Sudhir Chaudhary and Rajat Sharma want us to believe that…
— The indian guy (@Ab60307) December 20, 2025
