USA-Brazil previewSixty thousand-plus enthusiasts will descend on Ellis Park tomorrow. Some will be there in support of USA, some Brazil, while others, neutrals, will be there simply to revel in a charming, infectious atmosphere, to blow their vuvuzelas and enjoy what promises to be a fitting conclusion to a memorable FIFA Confederations Cup.
After 90 minutes - or perhaps extra time or penalties - either a new name will be inscribed on the trophy, or Brazil will surpass France and become the outright record winners of the competition.
The match - USA-Brazil
Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 28 June, 20:30 (local time) USA and Brazil may be situated on the Americas, but they are worlds apart in terms of tradition and success in the game. Futebol is deeply ingrained in life and culture in the latter, and A Seleção have won an unprecedented five FIFA World Cups™. Soccer is still an emerging sport in the US, whose men's team are yet to lift a global trophy.
Boasting the likes of Maicon, Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano, it came as little surprise that Brazil inflicted a 3-0 defeat on a USA side whose biggest name, Landon Donovan, plays his club football in his homeland. Much, however, has changed in the short time since.
USA overwhelmed an on-form Egypt to snatch a place in the last four, before inflicting a first defeat in 36 games on tournament favourites Spain. Meantime, a Brazil team that had been exciting and ruthlessly effective en route to the semi-finals laboured against South Africa, squeezing through courtesy of substitute Daniel Alves's late free-kick. Consequently, Dunga and Bob Bradley foresee a very different reunion as the neutrals anticipate a thrilling conclusion to this wonderful tournament.
Key battleLandon Donovan vs. Kaka
The pair, their respective side's major celebrities, have radiated without reaching their scintillating best so far in South Africa. Both are quick, direct dribblers with a penchant for scoring goals, and could turn this game with one flash of brilliance.
Looking backUSA 1-2 Brazil a.e.t, 23 July 2003, CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final, Miami
The American fans were counting down the seconds. A solitary goal from Carlos Bocanegra, their current captain, had them on the verge of a place in the final. However, Kaka's 89th-minute equaliser, the first USA had conceded in 600 minutes, since Adriano's goal earned Brazil a 1-0 success in a FIFA Confederations Cup game one month earlier, took the content into extra time, in which it was settled by a Diego penalty.
The stat200 - The number of victories Brazil moved on to in FIFA men's competitions by beating South Africa 1-0. During these, they have achieved a win-rate of over 65 per cent in 61 tournaments and slightly more than 300 matches.
Did you know?USA's record appearant Cobi Jones had a short spell with Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in 1996. Brazil's all-time leading marksman Pele spent three seasons at New York Cosmos, helping them win the North American Soccer League title in 1977.
The quotes"We've achieved great results in the past, but have never won a competition of this importance. To win a tournament that included Brazil, Spain, Italy and Egypt would be amazing for us, and would give us a lot of confidence to return to South Africa for the World Cup," USA coach Bob Bradley.
"USA are a great side. Just because we've already beaten them this tournament doesn't mean we'll do it again. They played very well against Spain. It will be a different game and we know we'll have to work very hard," Brazil forward Robinho.
Dunga: We respect the US.For Carlos Dunga, Brazil's 3-0 defeat of the USA in the group stage of this competition has no bearing whatsoever on the meeting of the sides tomorrow in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009. He is even less concerned with the countries' head-to-head record, even if it shows an impressive 14 wins for Brazil from their 15 official fixtures. What the coach is interested in, however, is repeating his oft-quoted belief that "football is about neither the past nor the future".
It is a philosophy that sums up Dunga to perfection. All that concerns him right now is the threat that will be posed by the USA at Ellis Park in Johannesburg tomorrow evening - a match, the coach told FIFA.com, that has no relation whatsoever to the meeting of the sides ten days ago in Tshwane/Pretoria. "That's in the past now. If you carefully study the USA's opening two defeats here, you'll see that. They were playing well against Italy until they had a player sent off, while against us, they conceded in the opening minutes, and that unhinged them. I mean how could you not seriously respect a side that, following two losses, reacted in the way the USA did against Egypt and the overwhelming favourites Spain? You don't do something like that without deserving merit. That result showed enormous character."
Those stellar performances by Bob Bradley's charges against the African and European champions have clearly not gone unnoticed by Brazil. Though unwilling to talk in detail or single out individual USA players, Dunga was fulsome in his praise of his opponents' discipline: "What's struck me the most about them is that they're very obedient tactically and they manage to maintain a consistency of performance for the full 90 minutes."
I'm expecting a game with a lot more nerves than the group-phase one, and as a consequence we'll need to be more patient. In the first match we had the good fortune to score early and hopefully we can do that again.
Brazil coach Carlos Dunga before the final with the US.
"What's more, they're very dangerous when they counter-attack, as we all saw in the semi against Spain," says the man who has been at the helm of the Canarinho since August 2006. "This will be another game in which we'll need to find the balance between defence and attack that has been characteristic of this team. If I've learned anything from all my years in football, it's that without that balance a team won't get very far. It's necessary to have some very industrious players, the type we in Brazil call 'piano carriers', to do the hard work in defence, win back possession, etc. That's why individuals like Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo are so important in our system, as they can free up all the talent we have up front, for example," says Dunga.
For the captain of Brazil's world title-winning side from 1994, there is another factor ever-present when the Seleção take to the field: pressure. "There's no denying that for many people, Brazil must always win. However, in football there are no longer clear favourites," says the 45-year-old, adding: "I'm expecting a game with a lot more nerves than the group-phase one, and as a consequence we'll need to be more patient. In the first match we had the good fortune to score early and hopefully we can do that again. That said, the USA have a different rhythm about them now."
After more than three intense weeks working together, following on from their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay, Dunga feels there is very little more he can say to his charges. According to him, the team-talk before the final will be limited to a few reminders about positioning and specific details on some members of the opposition. Everything else, his men are already clear about. "We've spent days and days developing a system for our game, so it wouldn't make sense now to spend hours explaining things. Everything I had to say has already been said," the coach insists. "We all know what we have to do and, above all, we know the motivation that playing in an international final brings. We're ready."
Bradley: Our second chance.USA coach Bob Bradley, criticised early on at the FIFA Confederations Cup after two straight losses and six conceded goals, was riding a wave of praise after his last game out, and second on the trot. Pressurising Spain early in an eventual 2-0 semi-final win, his significant tactical acumen was on display for all to see. But, as FIFA.com found out in an exclusive interview, Bradley expects a totally different game when his young, eager Americans take on superpowers Brazil on Sunday in their first-ever global final.
"The Brazilians are a different challenge than Spain," the former Chicago Fire, New York MetroStars and Chivas USA coach told FIFA.com on the eve of the final in Johannesburg. "It's not easy or instructive to compare the two. Spain, with their passing ability and the way they find seams and dictate play, are the best in the world. Brazil are a special team too, though, able to come from deeper positions. Their understanding is incredible and they can combine devastatingly with speed over long distances."
Bradley and his men found out, the hard way, just how fast Brazil can be over long distances and just how unforgiving they can be when presented with opposition errors. The 3-0 loss the Americans suffered in Pretoria in the first round was a lesson, and the no-nonsense Bradley is eager not to make the same mistakes twice.
"We weren't pleased with the way we started when we met Brazil in the first round," the coach said, referring to the tentative start in which they conceded from a set-piece inside seven minutes. "We started slowly and you just can't do that against Brazil."
A second mistake, when DaMarcus Beasley misplayed an offensive corner-kick, brought with it a lightning counter-attack that began with Kaka and was eventually finished by Robinho. "We weren't shocked by the speed of their response to that mistake," added Bradley, a former USA U-23 coach. "They did the same thing to Italy when they played. When you make a mistake against Brazil, you are going to be punished no matter who you are. They move with such pace. We respect that, but we have learned some lessons from that first game."
USA coach Bob Bradley: We need to step on the field and play our game, an aggressive, smart game with energy and speed.
Smart start neededCritical mistakes are something Bradley acknowledges can not always be controlled, but he is eager to come out with a different spirit and more energy this time out. "We need to step on the field and play our game, an aggressive, smart game with energy and speed. We did that after our first two losses and we beat Egypt and Spain when we came out right."
Bradley will be without one of his top players, his son Michael, as the holding midfielder was sent off with two minutes to go against Spain for a reckless lunge. Even though he admits that the situation is not ideal, Bradley senior, who has seen three of his charges ejected from games here in South Africa, believes in the collective ability of his team to rise above the setback.
"You have to make adjustments, you have to adapt," he said. "Big games, like the one tomorrow, are when players get the chance to step up and make a difference. And it's not only the players you expect. In our team everyone is important. I am confident that the man who takes Michael's place will perform in the way we expect, and fight hard for the cause."
He stops short of talking about revenge for the earlier loss, but Bradley is obviously keen to set the record straight this time out. "We have another chance to play Brazil, and to step on the field and play the game we know we can play. Second chances are rare, but we have one tomorrow."
SOURCE: FIFA.COM