Brazil's Menezes planning to start Ganso against New Zealand

Jul 30, 2012 1:34:00 PM

The Selecao have started London 2012 in imperious fashion with two wins and six goals, and the trainer wants to give his playmaker time on the field in their final group clash

Brazil coach Mano Menezes has hinted that Santos star Ganso will be handed his first Olympic Games start in the nation's final Group C match against New Zealand, with the Selecao already guaranteed qualification for the competition's quarter-final stage.

The playmaker has slipped down the pecking order due to the emergence of new Chelsea signing Oscar in the Under-23 squad, and has been used sparingly so far as Brazil recorded victories in both their opening Olympic clashes.

Ganso played just 18 minutes of the 3-2 win over Egypt, while on Sunday Mano brought him into the action 19 minutes into the second half as Belarus were downed 3-1.

According to the coach, however, the 22-year-old can expect more playing time when the South Americans close out their group campaign, on August 1 against a New Zealand team still hopeful of joining them in the last-eight.

"I will probably use Ganso in the third game to give him more time on the field. He is not the kind of player you can put in with 15 minutes left to end the match well," Mano explained in a press conference.

"But he is good in a specific situation, and Ganso's last two entrances were like this. I asked him to control the game more and bring more patience."

The trainer also highlighted the support of ex-President of the nation 'Lula' da Silva, who contacted the Brazil team to wish them luck in their bid to win the country's first-ever men's football gold.

"The key was to achieve qualification with time to spare, everyone played their part in this. That adds to the most sacred thing we have, [Lula's] love for the Selecao. [CBF] president Jose Maria Marin has already received a phone call from Lula, we let the players know and we took a big step passing through to the next phase," he explained.

Brazil are one of only two teams to have started the Olympics with a 100 per cent record, alongside Japan who have assured their place in the next round with wins over Morocco and Spain.

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