Brazil close to regaining winning ways: Alves

Rio de Janeiro, June 5 (IANS): Daniel Alves is adamant Brazil are on track to recapture their status as a football power ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup later this month.

Brazil have won just one match – a 4-0 victory over Bolivia in April – since Luiz Felipe Scolari took over from Mano Menezes as coach in November last year.

“We are the first to realize the importance of winning for Brazil,” Alves said.

“We can’t stay in this routine of drawing matches and of playing well without winning. Here we live for winning. We are improving and happy with our progress. We only need to get a victory for everything to be perfect.”

Among the principal concerns for Scolari is a defence that has conceded multiple goals in three of the past five matches.

“It’s a high number and that is why we are looking for equilibrium,” the Barcelona defender said. “We have to score more goals. Football is no longer a game where defenders only get back to mark and only strikers attack. Everybody needs to help in all areas.”

Scolari’s squad will train in the central city of Goiania until Thursday before travelling to Porto Alegre in Brazil’s south for a friendly against France at Arena do Gremio.