Brazil beats Spain 3-0 to win
Confederations Cup
A young and inexperienced Brazilian side
led by 21-year-old striker Neymar crushed world and European champions Spain
3-0 win in the Confederations Cup final held on 30 June 2013 (Sunday).
The crowd at Maracana Stadium was noisy,
hoping for and maybe even anticipating a triumph by Brazil. Playing effective
and assertive football, Brazil steamrolled over the football powerhouse Spain
in front of 78,000 fans at the Maracana to win the Confederations Cup for the
fourth time. With this victory, Brazil sent a message to all its rivals: under
Luis Felipe Scolari, the host country will be a strong contender for the World
Cup title in 2014.
In the stadium that will host the 2014
World Cup final next July 14, Fred put Brazil ahead in
the second minute, Neymar doubled the lead in the 44th with his fourth goal of
the tournament and Fred added his fifth in the 47th. While there was a crowd of
73,000 in the renovated stadium, outside protesters clashed with riot police on
the final night of the two-week prep tournament.
Brazil won its third straight
Confederations Cup, and is unbeaten in 57 consecutive home competitive matches
since 1975. Yet, no reigning Confed Cup winner has gone on to capture the following
year's World Cup.
Spain, which had not lost a competitive
game since its 2010 World Cup opener against Switzerland, had a miserable
night. Sergio Ramos sent a penalty kick wide in the 55th and defender Gerard
Pique was ejected by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers with a straight red card for
fouling Neymar in the 68th.
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