Player sent off after 3 seconds in Brazil's Serie A

A Brazilian striker was sent off in a top-division match on Saturday after hitting a rival with his elbow just three seconds into a match.

Cruzeiro's Rafa Silva left his team one man down in what ended as a 3-0 defeat at Athletico Paranaense.

Silva hit Athletico's Kaique Rocha slightly below his neck as they challenged for the ball shortly after kick off.

Referee Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima duly sent the 32-year-old Cruzeiro player off for one of the earliest red cards in soccer history.

Athletico are fighting against relegation from Brazil's Serie A.

Cruzeiro are seeking one of the top positions to secure a direct berth in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

The team from Belo Horizonte rested some of their players for the match in the city of Curitiba so they can recover for the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana at Argentina's Lanus next week. The first leg ended 1-1.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.