Brazil to play Panama in friendly at Porto

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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's national team will play its first friendly of the year against Panama on March 23 in Portugal.

The Brazilian football confederation said Friday the match will be at FC Porto's Dragao stadium.

Brazil will then play the Czech Republic in Prague three days later.

Coach Tite's great goal for the year is to win the Copa America at home. It is unlikely he will count on striker Neymar for either of the friendlies with the Paris Saint-Germain player recovering from foot surgery.

Brazil is expected to test several players that didn't go to the last World Cup in the two games.

One of them is Real Madrid's 18-year-old striker Vinicius Jr, as Tite himself said in different interviews.