JOHANNESBURG — The United States gets another chance at Brazil. And this time, there’s a nice, shiny trophy at stake.
Daniel Alves scored the only goal on a free kick in the 88th minute for a 1-0 victory over South Africa at the Confederations Cup on Thursday night, sending Brazil into the final against the surprising United States.
Sunday’s final (12:30 p.m., ESPN2) is the first at a FIFA tournament for the American men. It’s also a rematch of last week’s game in group play when the five-time World Cup champions crushed the Americans 3-0.
Brazil is 13-1 against the United States and has outscored the Americans 26-8. The lone U.S. victory was a 1-0 upset at the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.
“Brazil we know well because they beat us pretty badly a week ago,” Landon Donovan said after the U.S. shocked top-ranked Spain in the first semifinal. “They would probably be comfortable playing against us, but I think we’re in a better place now.”
The Americans pulled off one of soccer’s biggest upsets Wednesday with their 2-0 victory over Spain. The reigning European champions had set an international record with 15 straight victories and had tied Brazil’s record unbeaten streak of 35 games from December 1993 to January 1996.
The U.S. men, meanwhile, had been 1-7-1 against No. 1 teams. Their only other victory against a top-ranked opponent? Against Brazil, at the Los Angeles Coliseum in the semifinals of the 1998 Gold Cup.
“I didn’t watch the game (Wednesday) night because I was more concerned with the game (Thursday),” Brazil coach Dunga said.
Good thing, because the South Africans gave lackluster Brazil all it could handle.
Spurred on by the deafening buzz of their delighted fans’ stadium horns, Bafana Bafana unsettled Brazil with a frantic, hustling game of quick challenges and tight defense.
“There was no space anywhere,” Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said. “Everywhere we went, there was someone right there with us.”
But with time winding down, Brazil’s Ramires was tripped up at the edge of the box by South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena, sending him tumbling. Alves had been on the field for only six minutes, but Dunga called on him to take the free kick. He coolly stepped up and curled a shot into the far top corner, silencing the raucous home crowd.
Meanwhile, the U.S. men took the day off from training, traveling to Johahnnesburg.
“We need to expect to be able to compete that way all the time with these teams,” Donovan said of Wednesday’s victory over Spain. “That was huge tonight, and you see when you compete like that, you have a chance to win.”
United, Crayton part ways
WASHINGTON — D.C. United will not exercise its option on Louis Crayton’s contract, ending the goalkeeper’s one-year stint with the team.
The Associated Press
