Gonzalo Castro poked Germany into the lead following a brilliant through ball from the imperious Mesut Ozil. The Werder Bremen midfielder then got his name on the scoresheet at the start of the second half as a speculative 35-yard Mesut Ozil free-kick deceived Scott Loach between the sticks to squirm its way into the net. The final nail in England’s coffin arrived 12 minutes from time as a counter-attack was finished when Sandro Wagner slipped the ball between Loach’s legs. To add insult to injury, Sandro Wagner then claimed an 84th minute double with a splendid curler into the far corner to rub the Young Lions faces in their defeat.
The Confederations Cup final got off to a brilliant start after ten minutes when the United States moved ahead of the Samba Boys as Clint Dempsey turned home a Jonathan Spector cross from the right. Tim Howard saved from Robinho as the Brazilians looked to strike back quickly. In the 25th minute the Americans scored a superb counter-attacking second, the US broke out of defence through Clarke, with the ball arriving to Donovan, then onto Charlie Davies and finally back to Landon Donovan, and the Galaxy striker applied the clinical finish from 15-yards. Brazil score a minute into the second half, the ball was fed into Luis Fabiano with the forward’s back to goal, Fabiano spun and his shot beat Howard. The Brazilians then began to turn the screw and their constant pressure eventually paid dividends in the 74th minute when Luis Fabiano grabbed his second after Robinho had hit a Kaka cross onto the bar. It the 83rd minute Brazil’s comeback was complete, Elano swung in a cross from the right and a towering Lucio header gave Dunga the lead for the first time in the final.
It took 73 minutes before the deadlock was broken in the third-placed playoff although Spain had a Sergio Busquets effort chalked off early in second half. When the goal finally arrived it was Bafana Bafana who were celebrating as Katlego Mphela scored from close range converting a left wing cross. Just as the South Africans were beginning to count their chickens Dani Guiza stepped up to fire home an equaliser with three minutes on the clock. Amazingly Spain then scored an incredible second sixty seconds later, Santi played the ball out wide to Dani Guiza and the forward’s misplaced cross ended up curling into the far corner of the Bafana net. But, in almost as unbelievable a twist, one of the best moments of 2009 then played out in the 92nd minute as Katlego Mphela stepped up to thunder home an unstoppable free-kick that ripped past Casillas and forced the match into extra-time. South Africa pressed in the first half of extra-time while Spain had a point-blank penalty rejected, before Xabi Alonso saw his free-kick miss everyone to find the far corner in the 106th minute of the match.
The Germans proved that they should never be written off by edging favourites Italy into the final, Andreas Beck netting the only goal minutes into the second half with a speculative shot that nestled in the far corner.
I ragazzi di Casiraghi perdono 1-0 la semifinale dell’Europeo contro i tedeschi. Gli azzurrini sciupano molte palle gol, create soprattutto su palla inattiva, e incassano il gol beffa di Beck in apertura di ripresa.
The Young Lions were cruising at the break after Martin Cranie lashed in a 15-yard drive in the first minute following a James Milner corner, another Milner corner found Nedum Onuoha who blasted the ball in from eight yards for number two, while Mattias Bjarsmyr diverted the ball into his own net to make it 3-0. The Swedes fought back in tremendous fashion after the break starting with Marcus Berg slotting in Guillermo Molins’ cross on 67 minutes. Eight minutes later Ola Toivonen curled in a stunning free-kick over the wall, and in the 81st minute Berg slotted in his second. Frazier Campbell saw red in extra time, before England held their nerve to win a nail-biting shoot-out.
A late Daniel Alves free-kick gave Brazil a 1-0 win over a spirited South Africa side to set up a Confederations Cup final clash with the USA. Seven minutes after coming on as an 80th-minute substitute, the Barcelona full-back (pictured) rifled an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the penalty area that impressive keeper Itumeleng Khune was helpless to stop from nestling just inside the far post.
Despite all the pre-match hype in Spain’s favour It was the United States who made the early running in the semi-final, Charlie Davies sending an overhead volley narrowly wide after six minutes. Two minutes later Clint Dempsey saw his shot drift inches wide of Casillas’ post. After 26 minutes the Americans got their just deserves for dominating the game, Dempsey freed Jozy Altidore behind the Spanish backline and the powerful striker raced down on goal before rifling a low shot which Casillas found too hot to handle. The Spanish stepped up the tempo in the second half without finding the equaliser, and they were made to pay when America double their lead after both Pique and Sergio Ramos failed to cut out a Donovan cross and Clint Dempsey claimed the unbelievable second. The victory was slightly tarnished by Michael Bradley’s late (harsh?) sending off, but the Americans nevertheless stunned the European Champions to end their 35-unbeaten streak.
The first half came to life in the final minutes of the 45, the Belorussians took a surprise lead when Sergei Kislyak scored his second goal of the tournament turned home a cross on the half-volley. But the Azzurini levelled immediately as Robert Acquafresca scored from the spot after the ref spotted a handball in the box. The Italians claimed victory 15 minutes from time when a slick move carved through the Belarus defence and Robert Acquafresca tapped home the winner.
L’Italia di Casiraghi batte 2-1 la Bielorussia e passa il turno vincendo il suo girone. Decisiva la doppietta dell’ex attaccante del Cagliari Acquafresca che ribalta la rete di Kislyak. Avanti anche la Svezia che supera la Serbia 3-1.
Sweden set about taking the game to Serbia early doors and Marcus Berg fired the hosts into the lead with a shot on the turn after seven minutes. Berg soon notched up his second from the spot on the quarter hour, before Serbia’s impressive centre-half Gojko Kacar pulled a goal back from a corner. Sixty seconds later Sweden restored their two-goal cushion as Ola Toivonen stroked home the third. A pulsating first half ended when Nenad Tomovic received his marching orders, and Serbia ended the match with 9-men after Nikola Petkovic saw red after the break.
Stuart Pearce made 10 changes to the Young Lions who have already qualified for the semis and it showed within five minutes as Gonzalo Castro was slid in down the right and easily finished past Loach. England levelled just before the half hour mark when Jack Rodwell turned in a corner from close range.
