Selecao Scores Three Against La Roja, Books Quarterfinal Match With Oranjemen

When it mattered, Brazil have stepped it up. The Selecao did just enough against North Korea, they turned it on against Ivory Coast and then conserve energy with a draw against Portugal. Chile were touted as a much harder opposition than Brazil's group opponents. The lively and quick short passes are trademarks of Chile's attacking football and have been one of the highlights of this World Cup. Chile was expected to test the South American champions footballing-wise.

With such high stakes, Brazil proved that they are made of sterner stuff these days. They made quick work of La Roja. First, they withstood an early flurry of  Chile attacks. Gilberto Silva, Ramires, Juan and Lucio knuckled down and in typical European style, rendered the Chilean attacks ineffectual. Once that occurred, Brazil could then develop their own attacks to trouble the Chile defence, devoid of suspended stalwarts Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce.

Luis Fabiano stayed on course for the Golden Boot with his third goal in four matches. O Fabuloso's goal came off a superb move involving Brazil's "Big Three" of Robinho, Kaka and Fabiano. This was proof enough that Brazil are capable purveyors of the beautiful game. In truth, once Brazil scored the second goal, the match was all over. That three-minute salvo from Brazil knocked the stuffing out of a young Chile side. The third Brazilian goal was the icing on the cake and a thing of beauty as well. Ramires, deputising for Felipe Melo, dribbled the ball samba-style, leaving five Chile players in his wake before laying the ball expertly for Robinho's curler.

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Kaka's Dismissal Overshadows Impressive Selecao Win

Brazil outclassed Ivory Coast and put three points on the board last night. They did so amidst the cynical tackles and rough plays by Les Elephants. The likes of the Toure brothers, Kalou, Dindane and Drogba could not cope with the passing and movement of the Selecao.

The physical challenges made the game less free-flowing and unfortunately it hampered Brazil's attacking rhythm. Luis Fabiano, like Maicon, chose to step up his game and against Ivory Coast, his finishing was devastating. Elano, making a habitual late run from midfield, scored in his second goal in as many matches.

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Confederations Cup Final Match Report: Brazil 3 - 2 USA

Brazil came back from two goals down at half time to beat The United States 3-2 in the 2009 Confederations Cup final, which was played at the Coca Cola Park Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday night.

The entertaining final provided a fitting end to what has been a goal-filled ‘Festival of Champions', full of thrilling action and top class play by the world’s best footballers.

As the score-line suggests, it was very much a game of two halves as the Samba Boys struggled to find their rhythm in the first stanza, during which time they were duly punished by some ruthless play on the counter attack by Bob Bradley’s side.

The second half however was one way traffic – following Luis Fabiano’s goal 40 seconds after the restart, Brazil just kept coming at the US defence, which bowed to the pressure on a further two occasions.

Brazil were off to a positive start, earning several corners in the early stages and getting a number of crosses into the box, some of which were dealt with rather unconvincingly by the United States defenders.

However, with one of the few attacks they had, it was the US who took a surprise early lead when Jonathan Spector’s hopeful looking 10th minute ball from a fair distance out on the right found its way to Clint Dempsey, who improvised superbly, getting the faintest of touches to divert the ball just beyond the reach of Brazil goal keeper Julio Cesar.

Dempsey continues his hot run - Image from Associated Press

Brazil looked to hit back through Robinho two minutes later, but Tim Howard got down well to turn his low shot out for a corner kick. A Selecao had further chances through Felipe Melo and Maicon, but again Howard came up trumps, pulling off another two good saves. The initiative appeared to be with the Samba Boys, but in the 27th minute they were caught out with a classic counter-attack - Charlie Davies played an inch-perfect pass into Landon Donovan, whose first touch intelligently saw him evading the cover defence before sweeping the ball beyond Cesar from 18-yards out with his left foot.

Donovan gets his just rewards with his goal - Image from Associated Press

Brazil finished the half the stronger side, but could never really get into good enough positions in front of goal to overly trouble Howard. When he was tested, by the likes of Andre Santos and Robinho, the Everton goalkeeper again proved to be on top of his game. Brazil did almost manage to pull a goal back just before the break when Maicon flashed the ball across goal. Fabiano was inches away from getting on the end of the cross, but it had taken a crucial touch off the foot of American defender Carlos Bocanegra.

The complexion of the game changed dramatically just 40 seconds after the restart when Fabiano received the ball with his back to goal, took one touch, swivelled, and then picked out the bottom corner of the net, giving Howard no chance. The pressure continued to mount from the team in yellow and in the 58th minute Howard had to pull off a superb save to stop Lucio heading home a corner kick. The rebound fell to Gilberto Silva, whose close range shot deflected off Spector and over the cross bar.

Two minutes later Brazil came even closer when Kaka’s back-post header was pushed off the line by Howard onto the underside of the crossbar and back into play – replays suggested that the ball may have crossed the line. There was a brief respite for the States when Dempsey’s well-struck shot forced Cesar into conceding a corner.

But Brazil were soon back on the offensive and in the 70th minute Fabiano was put through on goal and looked set to level the match, but Howard moved off his line with blistering speed to make a wonderful close range block. The pressure finally paid off for Dunga’s side in the 74th minute when Fabiano headed home from close range after Robinho had blasted Kaka’s cross into the crossbar from only six yards out.

Fabiano equalises! - Getty Images

The come-from-behind win was completed five minutes from time when Elano’s corner kick was powered home via the head of skipper Lucio, the ball hitting the inside of the upright before ending up in the back of the net.

Joy for Brazil, Heartbreak for USA - Image from Associated Press

TEAMS
Brazil: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Luisao, Andre Santos (Daniel Alves 67'), Felipe Melo, Gilberto Silva, Ramires (Elano 67'), Kaka, Robinho, Luis Fabiano

USA: Tim Howard, Jonathan Spector, Jay DeMerit, Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Benny Feilhaber (Jonathan Bornstein 74'), Ricardo Clark (Connor Casey 88'), Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore (Kleystan 74')

Brazil celebrates the thrilling comeback win - Image from Reuters

This report is featured at MTNFootball.