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Neymar leads Brazil to 4-0 win over Panama in World Cup warmup

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Brazil's Neymar celebrates after scoring against Panama during a friendly soccer match at the Serra Dourada stadium in Goiania, Brazil, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) (The Associated Press)

Brazil's Neymar celebrates after scoring against Panama during a friendly soccer match at the Serra Dourada stadium in Goiania, Brazil, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Brazil is preparing for the World Cup soccer tournament that starts on 12 June. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) (The Associated Press)

Neymar scored one goal and set up two others to help Brazil defeat Panama 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up match on Tuesday.

Neymar broke the deadlock with a well-struck free kick from just outside the area in the 26th minute, and then sent a perfect back-heel pass for Hulk to score less than a minute into the second half. Neymar also started the move that led to Willian scoring in the 73rd.

Neymar's Barcelona teammate Dani Alves had struck Brazil's second goal with a right footed shot in the 40th.

Brazil had been struggling until the first goal and fans had started to jeer their team at the nearly packed Serra Dourada Stadium in Goiania.

It was Brazil's second-to-last match before the World Cup opener on June 12.