BRAZIL eased to a 3-0 win over Japan at the Estadio Mane Garrincha to open the 2013 Confederations Cup on Saturday.

    Neymar scored for the hosts after just three minutes and Brazil never looked back. But for all the joy inside this expensive new stadium at the result, events outside of it continued to cast a pall. Protests — driven in part by the cost of this stadium, this tournament, and the upcoming 2014 World Cup — continue to spread across the nation.

    Several thousand protesters flooded Brasilia’s city center Saturday, then marched on the stadium where they were met by lines of police horses and security forces. Similar protests took place simultaneously in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. There were no reported incidents of violence, and the match took place as scheduled.

    As for the game: it was skilled but slow, somewhere between a friendly and a summer competition. Both teams declined to tackle, and for long stretches Brazil’s evident weaknesses at the back were unchallenged.

    That suited the hosts just fine. They entered the tournament on a high after beating France 3-0 in a warmup, but have looked ragged at the back and undercooked up top. Both qualities were in evidence Saturday, with Hulk having a particularly disappointing outing, and had Japan a bit more flair, they would have exploded into the space David Luiz routinely left. As it was, more often than not, the hosts were able to recover, with Thiago Silva playing cleanup.

    Yet there was plenty of good, and it sprung from the young superstar, Neymar. Neymar’s goal, a fine half-volley to the top corner set up by Marcelo and Fred, was the third-fastest in the tournament’s short history, and it may prove an immediate tonic. Certainly the relief it brought was palpable. So much pressure had been placed on the boy wonder in the runup to the games that when his teammates surrounded him after the goal, their celebrations had the air of an exorcism.

    The 21-year-old, soon to join a star-studded lineup at Barcelona, came off his goal with aplomb, threading together an impressive performance. Neymar was simply unstoppable, at the heart of every Brazilian attack and a source of constant delight to the crowd. Every touch was greeted with an expectant roar, every flick with applause. When Neymar walked over to take a corner early in the second half and gave a little bow to the end, he was met with rapturous applause. And when he was removed by Luiz Felipe Scolari midway through the second half, the decision was jeered.

    Neymar’s sparring partner was Oscar, who also gave a performance belying his age. Shifting the point of attack all game long, he was a constant thorn in defender Yasuyuki Konno’s side, pushing and prodding the centerback into untenable positions. When Oscar scampered down the left flank, he drew three minders, opening up alleys for Fred and Hulk. When he caromed down the right, he allowed Marcelo time and space on the opposite flank, and more often than not, a shot on goal for Brazil as a result.(SD-Agencies)