East Rutherford (New Jersey), Aug. 11: Neymar scored in his Brazil debut and Alexandre Pato added a goal as a revamped Brazil beat the USA 2-0 Tuesday in the first match for both countries since the World Cup.

Neymar, the 18-year-old Santos phenomenon, had just switched with Robinho and moved from the left flank to the center. Andre Santos came down the left side and crossed, and Neymar beat Jonathan Bornstein and sent a header inside US keeper Tim Howard’s left post in the 28th minute.

Pato added a second goal in first-half injury time when a ball from Ramires’ split Bornstein and Carlos Bocanegra, and the 20-year-old AC Milan forward came in alone on Howard for the goal.

In London, Ivory Coast’s post-Sven Goran Eriksson era got off to a winning start as Kolo Toure’s header saw an experimental Italy side beaten 1-0 in a friendly international at Upton Park here on Tuesday.

While there was nothing at stake on a sodden night in east London, the Ivory Coast players will have had in the back of their minds the upcoming 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers. And interim Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui, assuming he is still in charge for the first qualifier against Rwanda in early September, will have been pleased by the showing of his side against an Italy team keen to start afresh following a poor World Cup campaign.

Both of Brazil’s scorers overlooked by Dunga for his World Cup squad despite public outcry for their selection in Brazil. Dunga was sacked in the wake of Brazil’s 2-1 quarter-final loss to the Netherlands last month and replaced by Mano Menezes, who promised to restore “The Beautiful Game” as Brazil begins the build-up to hosting the 2014 World Cup.

The friendly attracted a near-sellout crowd of 77,223 to the New Meadowlands Stadium. Brazil’s young, quick players showed flashes of the deft game that Brazil abandoned for defensiveness in South Africa, the youngsters from South America out-playing the US veterans.

Both teams had a goal called off. Pato headed the ball into the goal in the 32nd minute but cashed into Howard. Michael Bradley was ruled offsides after beating goalkeeper Victor on a header in the 57th off a cross from Sacha Kljestan following Landon Donovan’s corner kick. Ganso, Victor and defender David Luiz also made their international debuts for Brazil, along with substitutes Andre, Ederson and Jucilei.

Robinho, one of four holdovers from the World Cup campaign, slid the ball past backup US goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the 53rd minute but it bounced off the post. Guzan saved an angled shot by Neymar in the 61st and made a diving save on Neymar in the 70th.

In London, Zahoui continued where his predecessor Eriksson left off, with every member of his starting line-up having travelled to South Africa. Four members of the team who started the Elephants’ last game, a 3-0 victory over North Korea in Durban, were included in the first XI at the home ground of Premier League side West Ham.

As well as Gervinho and Didier Zokora, Kolo Toure and his brother Yaya were involved from the off, with the latter playing his second game in England following his transfer from Barcelona to Manchester City.

Italy went close to going ahead just two minutes into the game, after the Azzurri were awared a free-kick just outside the box for Didier Zokora’s handball.