The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Sports | Spain beat SA to finish third

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Brazil rally to beat US 3-2
- Confederations Cup
- Spain edge past south africa to finish third

Spain’s Daniel Guiza celebrates after scoring against South Africa during their Confederations Cup third place play-off in Rustenburg on Sunday. (Reuters)

Johannesburg/ Rustenburg: Lucio scored a late goal to give Brazil a 3-2 win over the United States and a second straight Confederations Cup title Sunday.

The Brazil captain headed in a corner from Elano in the 84th minute to help the five-time world champions hold off a spirited American team that had taken a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Luis Fabiano scored two goals in the second half to put Brazil back in the match after Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan had given the Americans the lead.
Brazil, who won their third Confederations Cup title, looked like a beaten team in the first half, creating little and being constantly stymied by the United States defence and goalkeeper Tim Howard.

But Luis Fabiano started the comeback in the 46th minute as Brazil’s “Beautiful Game” burst into life. The striker collected a pass from Ramires before turning and shooting past defender Jay DeMerit for his fourth goal of the tournament.

He added a fifth in the 74th, heading in a rebound after Kaka’s cross was kicked against the crossbar by Robinho. Dempsey, who also scored in the 2-0 semi-final win over Spain, gave the Americans the lead in the 10th minute by redirecting a cross from Jonathan Spector. Donovan added the second by finishing off some nice passing play with Charlie Davies on a fast counterattack in the 27th.

Spector started the unthinkable after only 10 minutes, running down the right and sending a low cross into the area. Dempsey, who had plenty of room to manoeuvre, raised his right leg and put just enough of a touch on the ball to alter the direction and send it past a diving Julio Cesar.

Donovan then got possession at his own end shortly after Maicon had sent in a corner for Brazil from the right. The United States midfielder ran up the middle, passed to Davies and then reclaimed the ball from his teammate before beating Julio Cesar.
The Americans appeared to get some luck in the 60th when Kaka headed a cross from Andre Santos to the near post. Howard stepped back into his goal and knocked the shot off the underside of the crossbar and then grabbed it safely in his arms.

Kaka yelled at the referee and his linesman, arguing that the ball has crossed the line before Howard was able to get to it, and television replays appeared to show he was correct.

Earlier, Xabi Alonso scored from a free-kick in extra time to give Spain a 3-2 win over South Africa and third place.

The Liverpool midfielder curled his shot through a crowd in the penalty area and inside the far post as the European champions rallied from their first loss in 35 games, a 2-0 defeat in the semi-finals against the United States.

“It’s a nice way to forget about the loss to the US,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.
South Africa substitute Katlego Mphela scored two goals, including an injury-time equaliser, to send the match into extra time after Dani Guiza had scored in the 88th and 89th minutes.

Khune was left flat-footed as Alonso’s curling free kick from the left landed inside the far post as Spain rallied from the disappointment of seeing a record 15-game winning streak and 35-game unbeaten run snapped by the United States.

With the weight of expectations lifted after having at least reached the semi-finals, Bafana Bafana played well and Mphela sent the match into extra time at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium with a free kick from outside the area that sailed past goalkeeper Iker Casillas into the top of goal.

Mphele first scored by breezing into the penalty area, controlling Siphiwe Tshabalala’s cross with his right knee and shooting over Casillas with his left foot in the 73rd, nine minutes after replacing Steven Pienaar.

South Africa seemed poised to squeak out their second win of the tournament before Guiza chested down David Silva’s long pass into the area and sent a low shot beyond Khune to start the rally. (AP)