Football: Edilson's antics are too much for Brazil

THE CORINTHIANS striker Edilson was dropped from Brazil's Copa America squad yesterday for juggling with the ball while play was in progress during Sunday's Paulista Championship final against Palmeiras.

His antics incensed the Palmeiras players so much that three of them attacked him, a pitched battle ensued and the match was abandoned.

Edilson performed his party piece after scoring the goal which levelled the match 2-2 in the second leg, giving Corinthians an unassailable 5- 2 aggregate lead with 15 minutes left. Edilson received a pass in midfield, juggled with the ball and rolled it down his back.

The Palmeiras left-back Junior steamed into Edilson, who was then attacked by striker Paulo Nunes and the team captain Zinho. After briefly retaliating he fled to the dressing-room.

The Brazil coach, Wanderley Luxemburgo, who had ended 28-year-old Edilson's four-year exile from the national team, held him responsible for the scenes and dropped him for the Copa America, which begins in Paraguay later this month.

The Palmeiras coach, Luis Felipe Scolari, known as Big Phil, later became involved in a row with Edilson during a television discussion.