Confederations Cup: The Scolari Effect

Brazil got off to a magic start, Fred scoring in the first minute, and just when Spain was starting its tiki-taka short-passing game, Neymar fired a rocket into the back on the net just before half-time. Fred again on 47... Brazil is back. The Scolari effect...

Brazil 3 Spain 0

Fred 2, 47

Neymar 44

 

Fred's goal in the first minute meant that Felipe Scolari had done his homework, reading the Italian game against Spain as to how to counter the short-passing game developed by del Bosque's pupils, called tiki-taka. On 31', Fred should have doubled the lead. But it was Neymar, on 43', who got Brazil's second just when Spain was putting the tiki-taka together.

 

At the interval, Brazil 2 Spain 0. 47' Fred. 3-0.

When Spain had a chance, on 57' (penalty taken by Sergio Ramos) they blew it (he shot wide).

 

Third Place

 

Italy 2 Uruguay 2 Italy 3-2 penalties

Astori 24 Edinson Cavani 58, 78

Diamanti 73

 

Penalties

Uruguay: Forlan - Buffon saved; Cavani - scored; Suárez - scored; Cáceres - Buffon saved; Gargano - Buffon saved

Italy: Aquilani - scored; El Shaarawy - scored; De Sciglio - Muslera saved; Giaccherini - scored:         

 

 

Uruguay

1 Fernando MUSLERA, 2 Diego LUGANO, 3 Diego GODIN, 5 Walter GARGANO, 7 Cristian RODRIGUEZ, 9 Luis SUAREZ, 10 Diego FORLAN, 16 Maximiliano PEREIRA, 17 Egidio AREVALO, 21 Edinson CAVANI, 22 Martin CACERES

 

Italy

1 Gianluigi BUFFON, 2 Christian MAGGIO, 3 Giorgio CHIELLINI, 4 Davide ASTORI, 5 Mattia DE SCIGLIO, 6 Antonio CANDREVA, 11 Alberto GILARDINO, 14 Stephan EL SHAARAWY, 16 Daniele DE ROSSI, 18 Riccardo MONTOLIVO, 23

Alessandro DIAMANTI

 

Italy opened the scoring on 24' through Astori with a left-foot shot that rebounded in off the Uruguay keeper Muslera. Uruguay pressed back, showing the qualities that took the Latin American side to the last four of the World Cup and the 2011 Copa América. After the break, Edinson Cavani scored the first of a brace of goals on 58'.

 

Against the run of play, Italy went ahead again on 73' - Diamanti but Cavani got his second on 78'. In extra time, with the score level at 2-2, Uruguay pressed more, had the better chances but went into penalties knowing that the game had slipped away from them.

 

Nevertheless, Uruguay is a good bet for the dark horse of the next FIFA World Cup.

 

Semi finals

Brazil beat Uruguay 2-1

Spain beat Italy 0-0 on penalties

Group phase

 

Group A

 

Brazil 3 games 3 victories 0 draws 0 defeats 9 goals scored 2 against 9 points

Italy 2 0 1 8 8 6

Mexico 1 0 2 3 6 3

Japan 0 0 3 4 9 0

 

Brazil 3 Japan 0

Mexico 1 Italy 2

Brazil 2 Mexico 0

Italy 4 Japan 3

Italy 2 Brazil 4

Japan 1 Mexico 2

 

Group B

 

Spain 3 0 0 15 1 9

Uruguay 2 0 1 11 3 6

Nigeria 1 0 2 7 6 3

Tahiti 0 0 3 1 24 0

 

Spain 2 Uruguay 1

Tahiti 1 Nigeria 6

Spain 10 Tahiti 0

Nigeria 1 Uruguay 2

Nigeria 0 Spain 3

Uruguay 8 Tahiti 0

 

Final: Brazil v. Spain

Sunday, June 30

 

The Confederations CUP is organized by FIFA for the holders of the six confederation championships (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), the FIFA World Cup holder (Spain) and the host of the next FIFA World Cup (Brazil). UEFA (Europe) will be represented by Italy, since Spain won the UEFA Cup and Italy was runner-up; CONMEBOL (South America) will be represented by Libertadores 2011 winner Uruguay; CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) will be represented by Mexico; CAF (Africa) by Nigeria; OFC (Oceania) by Tahiti and AFC (Asia) by Japan. It is taking place from June 15 to 30.

 

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru