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Brazil-Uruguay: The Seleção are prepared says Scolari

Seleção boss Luiz Felipe Scolari says his side are prepared to face Uruguay in the semi-final of the Confederations Cup.

The match takes place tonight at the Mineirão and Scolari believes the Seleção is earning back the support of the fans.

Scolari told a press conference: "We look at improvements after every game and have made progress. The team is just about ready and the players know they’re key.

"The fans may not have been 100 per cent sure we were that strong, but now we are earning back the history of Brazil teams.

"We are better than we were in February. We have a good foundation in place now and the whole group is more confident."

Scolari´s men clash with Uruguay on Wednesday in the first semi-final of the tournament and the Brazilian is set to face an old friend.

"I have known Tabarez for years and know how he works. We can guess 90% of their line-up," he added.

"Cavani is the top striker in Italy, Forlan was the best player at Copa America and Suarez was the best player in England."

http://www.youtube.com/w…rM6f3-HEOug

Brasiliansk satire show ved Brasilien - Italien kampen! =) Den er godt nok på portugisisk.

Late goal lifts U.S. to draw with France

http://www.youtube.com/w…tIIktM2Ia_E

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Second-half substitute Daniel Cuevas scored in the 85th minute to lift the United States to a 1-1 draw with France in Group A play at the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Monday.

The tie gave the Americans (0-1-1, 1 point) a fighting chance to reach the Round of 16 of the 24-team tournament. A win against Ghana (0-0-1, 0 pts.) in Kayseri on Thursday would put the U.S. in a position to progress. The top two teams in each of the six groups, plus the four top third-place finishers, will advance to the knockout phase.

France (1-1-0, 4 pts.) moved temporarily into first place and will await the result of the Spain-Ghana match later on Monday.

The Americans bounced back from a 4-1 loss on Friday to Spain, holding their own against France in a scoreless first half.

The French had the two best early opportunities as forward Yaya Sanogo forced goalkeeper Cody Cropper to parry his attempt from the top right side of the penalty area. Then, forward Florian Thauvin found space on the left side only to blaze over the crossbar from distance.

The U.S. attack came alive in stoppage time. Jose Villarreal set up Luis Gil, who forced goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to make a save.

The French were awarded a penalty kick, when U.S. defender Javan Torre brought down Dimitri Foulquier at the upper right corner of the penalty area two minutes after the break. A minute later, Sanogo took the ensuing penalty and fired a shot that Cropper managed to get a hand on, but the ball went into the goal for a 1-0 France lead.

The Americans had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 65th minute, when Mario Rodriguez was taken down in the area. Gil sent the resulting penalty toward the lower right side, but Areola dived to his left to make the save.

Two minutes later, a long-range effort from Jean Christophe Bahebeck hit the crossbar, nearly giving the French a two-goal advantage.

Cuevas, who replaced Villarreal 30 minutes into the second half, provided his heroics in the 85th minute. A free kick was sent into the box and Cuevas managed to latch onto it, netting from eight yards to knot the score at 1-1.

U.S. midfielder Benji Joya was booked with his second yellow card of the tournament in the 83rd minute and will miss the Ghana match.

http://www.youtube.com/w…rM6f3-HEOug

Brasiliansk satire show ved Brasilien - Italien kampen! =) Den er godt nok på portugisisk.

Det sgu helt iorden det der...jejejejeje

Nigeria defeats Cuba at U-20 World Cup

http://www.youtube.com/w…B0ACQz7l-7g

KAYSERI, Turkey -- Striker Aminu Umar struck for a brace within a four-minute span in the first half to spark Nigeria to a 3-0 victory over Cuba in the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Monday.

It was a second-straight loss for the Cubans (0-0-2, 0 points), who maintain a slim hope of advancing to the knockout round. They must defeat Portugal (1-1-0, 4 pts.), which tied Korea Republic 2-2 in one the day´s late matches, in their final Group B match on Thursday and have a series of other results go their way. The top two teams from each group, plus the four best third-place finishers, will progress to the Round of 16.

Captain Abdul Ajagun also scored for the Africans (1-0-1, 3 pts.) in the second half at Kadir Has Stadium.

Umar gave the Nigerians all the scoring they needed in the 19th minute as Ajagun fed Olarenwaju Kayode on the left flank. He penetrated into the penalty area, forcing goalkeeper Sandy Sanchez to come out of the net, before shuffling a square ball to Umar for an easy tap-in.

Four minutes later, Nigeria was celebrating again. Chidi Osuchukwu took a corner kick that found Abdullahi Shehu, who sent a cross to Umar. The 18-year-old flicked the ball into the bottom corner for a two-goal bulge.

Ajagun struck for his goal in the 67th minute, heading home a left-wing cross from three-yards out to complete the scoreline. The midfielder, appearing in his second U-20 World Cup, also missed a penalty kick with five minutes left in regulation.

Nigeria outshot Cuba, 26-6, placing 10 shots on net.

Cuba´s Adrian Diz Pe was booked a second time in the tournament and miss the Portugal encounter.

Colombia and a victory that could be important down the road

http://www.youtube.com/w…OFoMzl6OYmg

A goal from the team´s star, Juan Fernando Quintero, knocked down the Turkish ´wall´ at 52 minutes. The goal came from excellent team play, in which Andrés Rentería gave the final pass to Quintero before the player for Pescara (Italy) used a powerful left-footed kick from the front of the area to send the ball pass the local team and into the back of the net.

This victory against the Turkish national team reinforces the confiedence of the team, which pulled out a tight win and now will try to assure their classification on the third and final date, Friday against a surprising El Salvadorian squad, which beat Australia 2-1 this Tuesday and would love to reach the round of sixteen.

The game in Rize got off to a scary start for the young men directed by Carlos Alberto Restrepo, when Ethem Pulgir got a shot off at 2 minutes that goalkeeper Cristian Bonilla had to save, thus making his first intervention in the game.

Colombia´s first opportunity on goal was midfielder Sebastián Pérez´s shot at 12 minutes. He missed.

Turkey controlled the game and took the iniciative in terms of creating plays, but the Colombians managed to respond quickly and had several shots on goal. Their star Juan Fernando Quintero, at 22 minutes, got off a poorly directed shot, and at 28 minutes Cristian Palomeque obliged the intervention of the Turkish goalkeeper Aykut Özer.

Colombia got on their feet and should have been able to score with how their were playing, despite the interruption of the rhythm of the gain because of the continuous faults of both teams. Deivy Basanta (34) and Andrés Rentería (42), with a powerful shot, were the last Colombians to try and score in the first half.

At 52 minutes Quintero got the ball in the net in one of the most beautiful goals in this tournament, with a powerful left footed kick from the front of the area, directly at Özer´s team.

In a up-and-down the field game, Palomeque tried to score for his squad at 60, but missed, while Yilmaz found himself blocked by an inspired Bonilla at 62 minutes.

The goalkeeper for Atlético Nacional had to again save a Turkish opportunity at 70, when Salih Ucan got a shot on goal, but Colombia put the brakes on the home team´s offense and also had two good opportunites on the net, with attempts by Luis Hernando Mena (74), and the ever-present Quintero (75).

In the final stretch, Restrepo´s proteges controlled the situation and even managed to get close to scoring when Palomeque took a medium distance shot (81).

The scoreboard stayed at 1-0 and the South American team, celebrated their first victory in Turkey-2013.

Paraguay has high hopes after beating Mexico 1-0

http://www.youtube.com/w…NGq6dcg2sug

Paraguay overcame the Mexican national selection, winning with a final score of 1-0. The goal came from Derlis Gonzalez, at 52 minutes, in a game played in the second series of scheduled games in Group D of the Under-20 FIFA World Cup, and was played in Gaziantep, Turkey.

Antonio Sanabria, added in the second half to replace Cecilio Domínguez, deliverecd a perfect pass to Gonzalez´s feet which he then converted into the only goal in this stellar game played as part of Group D competition.

The Mexicans fell 2-1 in the first game against Greece and this new loss makes their situation worse, they have a ´zero´ in the wins column facing their third and final game, in which they will have to beat Mali or go home.

Paraguay used the following players: Diego Morel; Miller Mareco, Teodoro Paredes, Gustavo Gómez, Junior Alonso; Iván Ramírez, Robert Piris, ;Miguel Almirón (66´ Matías Pérez); Jorge Rojas, Derlis González (83´ Jorge Balbuena); Cecilio Domínguez (ST Antonio Sanabria).

With the victory Paraguay has reached a total four points in their group. In their first game they tied with Mali 1-1. In the final game of the group phase, on June 28th, they will play against Greece in Trebisonda.

Under-20 World Cup: El Salvador gets its first win against Australia

http://www.youtube.com/w…Ohwg6HDcbWg

El Salvador, which made its debut in this edition of the competition, managed its first victory in Under-20 World Cup competition. They beat Australia this Tuesday in the second series of scheduled games in Group C competition. The victory has rekindled the hopes that they classify for the next round.

The 3-0 defeat they suffered against the Turkish squad had destroyed the team´s confidence level, but this brilliant triumph in Rize has allowed Mauricio Alfaro´s squad to keep dreaming, hoping they will play to the same level against Colombia on Friday in the third series of scheduled games.

Game of the second series of scheduled games in Group C in the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey:

El Salvador 2 - Australia 1

Goals:

El Salvador: Coca (17), Peña (40)

Australia: Brillante (9)

Confederations: Brazil and Uruguay, a re-match full of history and drama

Undefeated Brazil, with their attacking football led by Neymar, have a test on Wednesday against Uruguay in the semifinals of the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Brazil comes to the clash against their neighbor undefeated after winning Group A of the Confederations Cup with victories over Japan (3-0), Mexico (2-0) and Italy (4-2).

Uruguay, meanwhile, lost 2-1 to Spain in Group B then got two straight wins against Nigeria and Tahiti.

Despite the differences seen between the two teams so far, Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar warned Wednesday that the classic "is worse than a Brazil-Argentina match" and "there is no favorite."

"They want to change the fact that Brazil has been better in recent games. They are going to face a team that playing wonderful football," added the goalkeeper.

Scolari had already warned against facing Uruguay. "Uruguay is very well armed" and in "excellent condition".

"Uruguay is a team that knows how to play and that has the stability that comes from having a squad that has been playing together since the World Cup in South Africa 2010", added on Tuesday Scolari at a press conference in the Mineirão.

"Uruguay has Cavani, top scorer in Italy, Forlan, best player in South Africa and Suarez, second best player in the Premier League," continued the Brazilian coach.

"I know (the coach of Uruguay Oscar) Tabarez for many years, I know how he works," he said.

"Scolari is very generous," said the "Maestro" Tabarez.

Tabarez said that "Brazil is a great team playing at home" and "we´re going to try to limit their strengths, which are many, and try to take advantage of some of our strengths."

Tabarez could use his attacking trio of Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.

"They are three very strong attackers, individually that can decide a game," said Julio Cesar. "I know them well and we have to be careful."

Brazil - Uruguay, eight memorable games

Brazil and Uruguay have had some unforgettable games. According to FIFA, the two teams have met 70 times, with 32 Brazilian victories, 19 Uruguayan victories, and 19 ties.

Starting with the ´Maracanazo´, and including plays immortalized by Pelé and dramatic finals in the Copa America, the national football selections of Brazil and Uruguay have played many unforgettable games.

Here is a brief review of eight key games between the two national selections that have seven World Titles between them - Brazil, five; and Uruguay, two - and will meet eachother face-to-face in the semifinals in the renovated Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte as part of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup being held in Brazil.

´El Maracanazo´

Saying, the ´Maracanazo´ was just a game is a complete understatement, it is the most commented on game of all time, the biggest feat in football.

July 16th 1950 is a date that is permanently etched in the collective memory of both the Uruguayans and the Brazilians, which despite the passing of the years, is remembered every time the teams meet.

It was the final game in the 1950 World Cup, the only time there was not on last game but rather a four-way competition between Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, and Switzerland.

Local team Brazil arrived after beating Spain and Switzerland badly, and they had a one point advantage over Uruguay, who had come back from behind to tie with Spain (2-2) and just barely overcome Switzerland (3-2).

Everything was ready so that the Brazilians could win their first World Cup and celebrate at home, they only needed a tie.

In Maracaná stadium, constructed for the World Cup, there were more than 200,000 Brazilian fans cheering for their team and ready to party. They reached fever pitch when Friaca scored and made it 1-0 Brazil a few minutes into the second half.

But Juan Alberto Schiaffino tied it up for Uruguay at 66 minutes and Alcides Edgardo Ghiggia made his name immortal to Uruguayan football fans when he came in on the right hand side and send the ball into into the net, giving Uruguay the victory and their second world title. Thus was born the Maracanazo.

Brazil in Mexico and Pelé´s goal that wasn´t

On June 17th 1970 in Jalisco stadium in Guadalajara the Brazil and Uruguay met again in the World Cup. With the Maracanazo fresh in their memory - only twenty years had passed - the crash between the two in the semifinals was fought tooth and nail. Uruguay went up at 19 minutes when Luis Cubilla scored, but at 45 minutes Clodoaldo scored off a Tostao pass and tied it up. Jairzinho scored and made it 2-1 for Brazil at 76 minutes and Rivelino gave them a third goal at 90 minutes.

It was in this game that Pelé immortalized one of his amazing feats that should have ended up being a goal - and wasn´t. The ´king´ recieved a pass from the Tostao on the left side, and having seen Ladislalo Mazurkiewicz come out quickly to defend, let the ball pass him by and, running to one side of the confused Uruguayan goalkeeper, took control of the ball on the other side to send it home with his right foot into an empty net. The ball ran along the goal line and just barely deviated from entering.

´Pato´ Aguilera quiets down the crowd in Fonte Nova

The final of the 1983 Copa America was played as a two game series. In the first game, played in Montevideo, Uruguay won 2-0 with goals from Enzo Francéscoli and Víctor Diogo. The second game was played in Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador, now demolished and in its place the Arena Fonte Nova arena, finished on November 4th.

Brazil was winning 1-0 and it looked like a party was being held in the stadium. But there were still 15 minutes to play when tiny forward Carlos Aguilera, all 1.62 meters of him, overcame giant Brazilian defender Moser, who was 1.90 meters tall, in a jumping contest. Aguilera managed to head in a centering pass from Venancio Ramos at an angle at tie it up 1-1, which allowed the Uruguayans to win their twelfth Copa America.

Romario gets rid of the ghosts

Brazil and Uruguay arrived at the final game in the 1989 Copa America tied in everything. Both had beaten Paraguay 3-0 and Argentina 2-0 in the four-way final, which was completely played in the Maracaná and they met in the title game on July 16th, exactly 39 years after the original Maracanazo.

In the Brazilian stadium the tension could be cut with a knife. After a slow first half which ended without goals, shortly after the second half began (49), the amazing Romario headed in a centering pass which came from the right hand side, anticipating goalkeeper Javier Zeoli´s movements and scoring the goal which ended up winning the game for Brazil, 1-0, giving them their fourth Copa America.

Zagallo can´t pull off the ´Centenariazo´

Uruguay and Brazil arrived at the finals of Copa America Uruguay-1995. The game was played in Centenario stadium in Montevideo on July 22nd. One day before, the mythic Mario Lobo Zagallo, then assistant coach of Carlos Alberto Parreira, said that "now we will beat the Uruguayans, we are going to have a ´Centenariazo´", alluding to the Maracanazo.

However, the old coach couldn´t live up to his talk. Brazil had the advantage with a goal from Tulio at 30 minutes, but the Uruguayans tied it up at 51 with an amazing free kick off the foot of Pablo Bengoechea which entered at an angle and left Taffarel flat-footed.

The definition of the title went to penalties, and there local goalkeeper Fernando Álvez stopped Tulio´s big kick and the Uruguayans scored on all five to win their fourteenth Copa America and leave Zagallo without his personal revenge.

They meet again - in the ´Mundalito´

Uruguay organized the ´Mundialito´, a competition of the world champions, fifty years after the first World Cup held in 1930. The event was organized to start December 30th, 1980 and end on January 10th, 1981.

With the exception of England, who declined to participate, all of the world champions to the date participated: Uruguay, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, and Italy, and in the palce of the English, the Dutch were invited, as they had been runner-up twice in the World Cup.

Uruguay and Brazil reached the final that was played one summer afternoon in Centenario stadium, filled to the gills.

Jorge Barrios scored the first goal for the Uruguayans at 50 minutes, but the talented Sócrates tied for Brazil on a penalty kick at 62. But ten minutes before the end the goal scoreer Waldemar Victorino headed the ball in to give Uruguay a 2-1 victory.

Brazil´s first time in Montevideo

Brazil had to wait until 2009 to beat Uruguay in Montevideo in an official game. And they did it dancing.

The five-time world champions, directed by Dunga, beat the Uruguayans directed by Oscar Tabárez badly, 4-0, in Centenario stadium in a game as part of the South American qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The game was played on June 6th, 2009.

Daniel Alves and Juan in the first half and Kaká and Luis Fabiano in the second scored the goals that gave the Brazilians their long awaited victory in Uruguay in the two teams´ most recent encounter.

The Uruguayan´s make Scolari´s debut bitter

Luiz Felipe Scolari made his debut as the coach of the Brazilian national team on July 1st, 2001, playing Uruguay, of course, in Centenario stadium in Montevideo as part of the South American elimination for the South Korean/Japan World Cup of 2002.

The Uruguayans won the game, 1-0, with the penalty goal of Federico Magallanes and left Brazil in an uncomfortable sixth place, out of the range of teams that would classify. However, Scolari began to hold the reigns a little tighter, got the train back on track so that Brazil could classify, and one year later in Yokohama they lifted their fifth World Cup.