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VIDEO: LANDOVER, Maryland - Brazil ended the United States' five-game winning streak, with Neymar scoring one goal and setting up two more to prevail 4-1 Wednesday night before the largest crowd to watch the Americans in their nation's capital.
The match was the second of three friendlies for the United States before starting the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying and the second of four matches in 15 days for Brazil that will also include Mexico on Sunday in Chicago and arch-rival Argentina in the New York suburb of East Rutherford.
The United States hadn't allowed more than two goals in a match since losing 4-2 to Mexico in last year's Gold Cup final, a span of 11 games.
Using a predominatly under-23 starting lineup including Neymar, Brazil had more of the possession in the first half but the Americans had more shots, 7-6.
Brazil went ahead in the 12th minute when Neymar converted a penalty after Leandro Damiao's shot from just outside the penalty area struck the left arm of Oguchi Onyewu, who appeared to be twisting away from the ball.
It doubled the lead in the 26th when Thiago Silva made a darting run and redirected Neymar's corner kick with a glancing header for his first international goal.
The United States, which made only two changes to the lineup that beat Scotland 5-1 on Saturday, gained some momentum just before halftime. Michael Bradley playing a defense-splitting through ball down the left side of penalty area, where Fabian Johnson ran onto to and sent a cross from the byline in front, where Herculez Gomez nodded it in from inside the six.
The goal delighted the American crowd of 67,619 at FedEx Field in suburban Landover, eclipsing the 54,282 that saw Honduras beat the United States in a World Cup qualifier in 2001 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington.
"We've got to move on," U.S. manager Juergen Klinsmann said. "But I think we need to get an edge more nastier. Maybe we're a little bit still too naïve. Maybe we don't want to hurt people. But that's what you have to do.
"We have to step on their toes more. And get them all frustrated. And make a case with the referee as well."
Brazil largely settled the issue in the 52nd. Neymar took a wide ball from Hulk and crossed it in front, where Marcelo volleyed it from the edge of the six.
Alexandre Pato, a second-half substitute, volleyed a ball of the left post in the 67th, but the Americans also had their chances with Brazilian keeper Rafael denying Clint Dempsey and Gomez on the rebound follow-up in the 76th and then tipping Bradley's header over the bar in the 85th.
"At times we came in with too much respect for them, because they're Brazil," Gomez said. "They bleed the same, they sweat the same and when we imposed our game on them for certain stretches in the second half, you were seeing them being the ones on their heels, tracking back, trying to hit us, trying to play a little dirty."
Pato finally added a fourth for Brazil in the 87th, settling a cross-field pass from Marcelo on the right side of the area, and driving a low ball to the opposite side past U.S. keeper Tim Howard.
The Americans will take on Canada on Sunday in Toronto to cap their northern neighbor's centennial celebration before facing Antigua & Barbuda on June 8 in Tampa, Florida, in their World Cup qualifying opener.
