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Confederations Cup final

Brazil 3 - Spain 0

Spain were comprehensively beaten by hosts Brazil in the Confederations Cup final, a result which put an end to their record run of 29 competitive games without defeat. Things went against them right from the start, Fred scrambling the ball over the line whilst lying on the ground after the defence failed to clear a cross from Hulk with less than two minutes on the clock. Oscar, Fred and Hulk all went close, and although Iniesta tested Julio César for the first time with a long shot, Casillas had to be at his best to save from Fred when free on goal. Even so Spain came close to equalizing when David Luiz cleared Pedro's shot off the line with the keeper beaten, but with the first half coming to a close Neymar picked up Oscar's return pass and fired a shot in to the top corner of the net for his side's second. Del Bosque reacted at half time replacing a shaky Arbeloa with Azpilicueta, but just a minute after the restart Fred picked up Hulk's cross to beat Casillas for a third time. Six minutes later Sergio Ramos fired a penalty kick wide after Marcelo had tripped substitute Navas inside the area, and a few minutes after that Spain were left with ten men when Piqué was sent off for bringing down his future Barcelona team-mate Neymar. Pedro and Villa did force a couple of good saves out of Julio César near the end, but by then there was no way back, and the Maracaná stadium were already celebrating their team's victory. A bad night for La Roja, but they will almost certainly be back again in a year's time looking to defend their world title for real. (30.06.13)