GB lose London 2012 opener
- Saturday,
by Matt Phillips
Paralympics GB 0-3 Brazil
London 2012 Seven-a-Side Football Competition
Saturday 1 September
The Paralympics GB Cerebral Palsy lost 3-0 to Brazil in their opening game of London 2012.
Despite being cheered on by a patriotic capacity crowd at the Riverbank Arena on Saturday afternoon, Lyndon Lynch's side paid the penalty for a nervous start. It leaves the side with a mountain to climb if they're to qualify for the medal matches.
GB found themselves a goal down inside ten minutes when Ronaldo burst through the home defence to side foot a right shot neatly past goalkeeper, Billy Thompson.
Brazil, playing in all green, doubled their money just three minutes later when Wanderson smashed home from just inside the penalty area.
And Yurig completed a one sided first half for Brazil when he hit a Robert Carlos style thunderous swerving freekick on 24 minutes, beating Thompson at the near post.
Lynch made changes at the break, Craig Connell coming in for Thompson between the sticks and George Fletcher replacing Jonny Paterson.
GB had more attacking purpose in the second half with captain, Matt Dimbylow, unlucky not to convert one of two chances.
The 41-year-old broke through from midfield on 51 minutes but saw his straight shot blocked by the legs of Brazilian keeper and captain, Marcos.
Five minutes later and Dimbylow almost steered home Ibz Diallo's low cross from the left wing but the ball went agonisingly wide with Marcos stranded in goal.
Paralympics GB will be without defender Blair Glynn for their next game against Ukraine on Monday when he received a second yellow in time added on.
Speaking after the game, Lynch said: "We're very disappointed to lose the game in front of such a great crowd.
"The whole squad and staff wanted to get the right result for the public but it was just wasn't meant to be for us today unfortunately.
"We paid the penalty for a bad first half but we made same changes and the players responded well I thought. We created more chances, we've got something to build on and that's encouraging for the rest of the tournament."
Paralympics GB's face the world's number one nation in Ukraine at 11.15am on Monday and need a win to keep their hopes of qualifying for the medal matches alive.
The Ukranians top the group after a crushing 9-0 defeat of USA at lunchtime earlier today.
