(CNN) -- Brazil announced their arrival at this year's Copa America tournament in Argentina Sunday with a disappointing goal-less draw against Venezuela.
The nine-time champions missed a number of good opportunities in a match they dominated for long spells, including a fierce shot from Milan's Alexandre Pato which struck the bar on 38 minutes.
They were also denied what looked to be a clear penalty minutes later, when defender Oswaldo Vizcarrondo appeared to handle the ball in his own box as he slipped trying to block a shot on the rebound from Robinho.
Venezuela, whose national sport is actually baseball, improved after the interval but they failed to really threaten Julio Cesar in the Brazilian goal.
We were generally a bit lacking and Venezuela worked like Trojans.
--Brazil coach Mano Menezes
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"In the first half we had chances but in the second it was different," admitted Brazil's coach Mano Menezes after the match, in quotes carried by Agence France-Presse.
"We were generally a bit lacking and Venezuela worked like Trojans."
By contrast, his opposite number was understandably delighted with his unfancied team's start to the tournament.
"Brazil played well but we deserve praise for holding them," Cesar Farias told AFP.
"When we had the chance to play a bit we did and when we had to defend like gladiators we did that too."
The 2014 World Cup hosts go on to face Paraguay on Saturday in Cordoba, while Venezuela meets Ecuador the same day.
Comment: u think that this American cup is so much boring and with no all the good players, for example I think that in brazil there ut have to be kaka and Marcelo, to of the best players in the best teams of the world, and here I'd when we said that the European cup is better