SOCCER CONFEDERATIONS CUP FINAL Brazil 3 USA 2: A LATE header from Lucio added to Luis Fabiano's brace helped Brazil fight back from two goals down to win the Confederations Cup final against United States in Johannesburg.
After falling behind to efforts from Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan, the South Americans looked out of ideas when they left the field at half-time.
But Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano pulled one back immediately after the restart, before drawing his side level with 16 minutes still to play.
Captain Lucio then had the final say when he powered home from an Elano corner to break American hearts and claim Brazil’s third title.
Before kick-off Fifa honoured Marc-Vivien Foe, the Cameroon midfielder, who collapsed with a heart problem during the 2003 finals in France, with his son Marc Scott delivering a message in memory of his late father.
On the field, Dempsey fired an early 20-yard shot wide for the US, while Kaka’s glanced header from a Robinho corner and Andre Santos’ ambitious long-range drive followed the same path.
But the Brazilians were stunned in the 10th minute when Jonathan Spector delivered a fine cross from the right that was turned home by Dempsey from the centre of the penalty area.
The South Americans tried to hit back with Kaka turning neatly in midfield and laying a beautiful pass on for Robinho, whose curled shot from the left was goal-bound until Tim Howard intervened to turn it wide for a corner.
Bob Bradley’s men again had their goalkeeper to thank seconds later after he blocked shots from Felipe Melo and Maicon, although both were struck straight at him.
And they were dealt another massive blow in the 27th minute following with a sweeping counter-attack that was started and finished by Donovan. The Los Angeles Galaxy striker picked the ball up on the halfway line and then spread it wide to Charlie Davies on the left, before collecting the return pass just outside the box, eluding Ramires and blasting a fine left-footed finish beyond Julio Cesar.
The shell-shocked defending champions again tried to rebuild, with Andre Santos shooting straight at Howard, while Luis Fabiano headed over.
Howard again denied Robinho five minutes before the break when he tipped over from the Manchester City striker as Brazil went into the break frustrated.
But Dunga’s half-time talk helped his players up the ante as they struck back in the 46th minute with Maicon finding Luis Fabiano just inside the box, and the Sevilla striker turned nicely to fire low beyond Howard.
The American stopper continued to be kept busy with skipper Lucio forcing him to block from a close-range header.
Kaka’s header then looked to have crossed the line – the Real Madrid playmaker nodded the ball goalwards, with Howard punching it away off the crossbar, but replays showed it went in.
Donovan and Dempsey finally helped their side hit the target in the second half with their first attack coming after 61 minutes, but on both occasions Julio Cesar was there to punch the ball away.
But the pressure proved too much at the other end and, after seeing Howard steal the ball from his feet, Luis Fabiano was on hand to convert a Kaka cross which skimmed across the face of the goal from the left – Robinho’s initial shot hitting the crossbar and falling for his strike partner.
The equaliser came after 74 minutes and, shortly after Robinho powered agonisingly over from 20-yards out, Lucio met Elano’s corner with thundering header that flew into Howard’s top right-hand corner to complete a thrilling comeback.
BRAZIL: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Luisao, Andre Santos (Dani Alves 66), Ramires (Elano 67), Felipe Melo, Silva, Kaka, Luis Fabiano, Robinho. Subs Not Used: Victor, Juan, Kleber, Miranda, Josue, Julio Baptista, Kleberson, Alexandre Pato, Nilmar, Gomes. Booked: Felipe Melo, Andre Santos, Lucio.
USA: Howard, Spector, DeMerit, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Clark (Casey 88), Feilhaber (Bornstein 75), Donovan, Davies, Altidore (Kljestan 75). Subs Not Used: Guzan, Califf, Wynne, Pearce, Beasley, Adu, Torres, Bradley, Robles. Booked: Bocanegra.
Referee: Martin Hansson(Sweden).
* XABI ALONSO'Sfree-kick in extra-time helped Spain defeat South Africa 3-2 and clinch third place in the Confederations Cup yesterday. Katlego Mphela put Bafana Bafana ahead after 73 minutes. But two goals in the final three minutes from substitute Daniel Guiza turned the match around only for Mphela to send the game into extra-time with a blistering free-kick.
