Confederations Cup

Here are the results of the Confederations Cup Final and 3rd spot play-offs:

Brazil 3-0 Spain.

Brazil produced a breathtaking performance at the Maracana to overwhelm Spain and claim their third consecutive Fifa Confederations Cup.

Driven on by the passion of a fiercely partisan crowd, the five-time world champions signalled their intent ahead of next summer's World Cup by ending Spain's 29-match competitive unbeaten record with a majestic display.
Fred scored twice, but Neymar again stole the show, scoring Brazil's second goal with a rasping left-foot shot.
To compound Spain's misery, Sergio Ramos missed a second-half penalty before Gerard Pique was sent off for bringing down Neymar as last man, with 22 minutes remaining.

At the final whistle, the Brazil fans proudly chanted 'the champions are back'. With David Luiz and Thiago Silva providing solidity at the back, the midfield generalship of Paulinho and the mercurial talents of Neymar in attack, the Selecao will certainly be a formidable proposition next year.

The streets around the Maracana had been a place of contrasts in the hours before the game. While protestors clashed with police a mile or so away, tens of thousands of Brazil fans danced in the streets.
The noise built to an incredible crescendo in the hour before kick-off, culminating with the Brazilian anthem, that stirred the passions of the partisan crowd.
History, too, was against Vicente Del Bosque's Spanish side. Brazil have not lost a competitive match on home soil since 1975 and you have to go back to 1934 to find the last time Spain had beaten them in a competitive match, home or away.
If Spain had dreamt of conjuring an early goal that might take the sting out of the mighty Maracana, they were made to think again by a Brazil side that pressed and probed and, carried on by the sheer emotion inside the stadium, snatched the lead inside two minutes.
Hulk's cross from the right was knocked down by Neymar at the back post. Fred lost his footing but as the ball came back his way, he swung a boot at it from the ground, lifting the ball up and over Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas and into the net.

Samba standard

Brazil are the first team to win three successive Fifa Confederations Cups. France won back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2003.

Spain, normally so calm and controlled, briefly lost their way. Oscar fired narrowly wide from a fantastic chance, while Casillas scrambled back to claw Paulinho's deft lob from under his crossbar.

Brazil pressed Spain with an intensity that has become their own hallmark in recent times. They attacked with a fluency and flair that unsettled the world champions and that left Pique and Ramos flummoxed time and time again.
On two occasions during the first half, Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers decided against sending Spain defenders off after first Neymar and then Oscar were tripped when through on goal. Both Ramos and Alvaro Arbeloa were show yellow cards, much to Brazil's frustration.

Uruguay 2-2 Italy (AET) Italy win 3-2 on penalties.

Gianluigi Buffon saved three penalties as Italy beat Uruguay to claim third place in the Fifa Confederations Cup.

Davide Astori put Italy ahead when he tapped home on the line before Edinson Cavani equalised with a low effort.
Alessandro Diamanti restored Italy's lead with a curling free-kick and then Cavani levelled again with a stunning free-kick to ensure extra-time.
Riccardo Montolivo was sent off for two yellow cards in extra-time but Italy held on to seal a 3-2 win on penalties.
Diego Forlan, Martin Caceres and Walter Gargano all missed to hand Italy third spot in Salvador.

Off the spot

Uruguay's penalty record is now won five, lost five. La Celeste had won their last two shoot-outs before this defeat; seeing off Argentina 5-4 in the 2011 Copa America quarter-finals, a tournament they went on to win. They also famously knocked Ghana out of the last World Cup in a shoot-out.

Just three days after 120 minutes and a penalty shoot-out defeat by Spain in the semi-finals, Italy had to go through it all again but this time they came out on top with Alberto Aquilani, Stephan El Shaarawy and Emanuele Giaccherini converting their spot-kicks to reprieve Mattia De Sciglio who missed.

It was left to Gargano to score Uruguay's fifth penalty to force Italy to take another but Buffon saved again after also denying Forlan and Caceres.
If there was any fatigue from Thursday's marathon against the world champions, it was not evident in Cesare Prandelli's side in the early stages with five changes made from that defeat helping the Azzurri command the early stages.
Despite dominating Spain for long periods on Thursday before their penalty shoot-out defeat, Italy lacked a killer touch in front of goal and a bit of fortune but they certainly got the latter for their opener here.
A Diamanti free-kick came off the bar and hit keeper Fernando Muslera on the back before heading towards the line just as Astori came in to make sure the ball was over.

Confederations Cup

Here are the results of the Confederations Cup semi-final: 

Spain 0-0 Italy (AET).

Favourites Spain will face Brazil in the Confederations Cup final after a dramatic 7-6 penalty shoot-out victory against Italy in Fortaleza.

Spain substitute Jesus Navas drilled in the decisive penalty after Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci missed.
Italy dominated much of the 90 minutes but were left to pay for their misses.

How the shoot-out unfolded

• Spain 0-1 Italy - Candreva
• Spain 1-1 Italy - Xavi
• Spain 1-2 Italy - Aquilani
• Spain 2-2 Italy - Iniesta
• Spain 2-3 Italy - De Rossi
• Spain 3-3 Italy - Pique
• Spain 3-4 Italy - Giovinco
• Spain 4-4 Italy - Ramos
• Spain 4-5 Italy - Pirlo
• Spain 5-5 Italy - Mata
• Spain 5-6 Italy - Montolivo
• Spain 6-6 Italy - Busquets
• Spain 6-6 Italy - Bonucci MISSES
• Spain 7-6 Italy - Navas

Emanuele Giaccherini hit the Spain post in extra-time, while Gianluigi Buffon pushed Xavi's shot on to the woodwork.

Each of the first 12 penalties were converted in a high-quality shoot-out before Bonucci blasted his effort over Iker Casillas's crossbar.
His miss allowed new Manchester City winger Navas to coolly convert past Buffon to set up an eagerly anticipated clash against the host nation, 2-1 winners against Uruguay in their semi-final, in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
But the complexion of the match would have been totally different had Italy, without injured striker Mario Balotelli, not squandered a host of goalscoring chances.
The Azzurri dominated a high-tempo first half as the tactical instructions of boss Cesare Prandelli - to stay tight and compact defensively before breaking quickly down the Spanish flanks - were carried out to perfection.
Spain, who beat their opponents 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, looked vulnerable as they failed to cope with the Italian raids, but were left unpunished.

Transfer News

Isco makes move to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Malaga to sign Isco on a five-year deal, for a reported fee of £23m.

Manchester City were also pursuing the midfielder, 21, with new manager Manuel Pellegrini hoping to lure him to England having been his boss at Malaga.
Isco, who recently won the Under-21 European Championship with Spain, is due to have a medical on 3 July before being presented at the Bernabeu.
He becomes new Real manager Carlo Ancelotti's first signing.
Isco was signed by Pellegrini from Valencia in 2011 and had suggested he wanted to play under him again next season, calling his former boss a "footballing father".

The playmaker signed a new contract with Malaga at the beginning of the year, which included a £30m buy-out clause.

Asked about Isco at a news conference on Wednesday, Ancelotti said: "From what I have seen of him, it's clear he has a lot of quality.
"Spain's Under-21 side has a lot of great players and he is one of the best. He could get into any team in the world, so he could also play for Madrid."
Isco - real name Francisco Roman Alarcon - scored three goals in five games as Spain triumphed at Euro 2013 in Israel, but also made his senior international debut against Uruguay in February.

Tevez signs for Juventus.

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has completed his £12m move to Italian champions Juventus.

City and Juve agreed a deal of £10m that could rise by £2m with add-ons.

Tevez's City troubles

27 September, 2011: City lose 2-0 to Bayern Munich with Tevez accused of refusing to warm up to go on as substitute
27 September: Roberto Mancini says Tevez is finished with Manchester City
28 October: Fined two weeks' wages for breach of contract related to Bayern game (£400,000)
7 November: Tevez flies to Argentina without the club's permission
22 December: City charge Tevez with gross misconduct for his actions since 7 November. (Six weeks' fine: £1.2m). Given until 7 January to appeal
11 January, 2012: Appeal heard by directors and dismissed
3 February: Mancini admits Tevez could play again
14 February: Tevez returns from Argentina
21 March: Tevez returns for City as substitute in the 2-1 win against Chelsea

The Argentina international, 29, arrived in Italy on Wednesday for a medical and signed a three-year contract.

When the fee is combined with wages and bonuses due to Tevez in the final year of his contract, City could save about £27m.
The two clubs reached an agreement at a meeting in London on Tuesday.
Hundreds of Juventus fans turned up at Milan's Malpensa airport to welcome the player.
Juve announced his arrival with a picture of him alongside club president Andrea Agnelli  holding up the number 10 jersey.
Tevez signed a five-year contract when he joined the Sky Blues in 2009 after previously playing for Manchester United.
City paid his advisors - who owned his contract - a reported £25.5m fee, although some have claimed the figure was £47m.
He has made 148 appearances for the club, scoring 74 goals, but the relationship with former manager Roberto Mancini soured in 2011 when he was fined and suspended following an incident in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich.
City must now search for a replacement but have said they will not pay the £53m asking price for Napoli forward Edinson Cavani.

Confederations Cup

Here is the result of the semi final in the Confederations Cup:

Brazil 2-1 Uruguay.

Brazil scraped into the final of the Confederations Cup with victory in an emotional and highly-charged encounter at the Estadio Mineirao.

Paulinho's late header ensured the Selecao finally saw off a resilient Uruguay to set up a clash with Spain or Italy in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
Fred had given Brazil a scarcely-deserved first-half lead, prodding home Neymar's cross. But Uruguay hit back shortly after the interval when Edinson Cavani capitalised on an error from Brazil captain Thiago Silva to strike a low shot beyond Julio Cesar.

Home goalkeeper Cesar had earlier saved Diego Forlan's first-half penalty, after David Luiz pulled down Uruguay captain Diego Lugano.

This was a test of character and spirit for Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil but the jubilation among the players and coaching staff at the final whistle showed just how much this meant. Brazil never approached their fluent best but they did just enough to get over the line.
The build-up had been every bit as passionate and spiky as the game itself. Cesar had described the rivalry between the nations as more intense than that of Brazil's with Argentina, while Uruguay captain Diego Lugano had accused Neymar of attempting to fool referees by diving.

 

Confederations Cup

Here are the results of the Confederations Cup games that were played in Group B:

Nigeria 0-3 Spain.

Spain will face Italy in the Confederations Cup semi-finals after they beat Nigeria to top Group B.

Jordi Alba scored twice, stroking in following a flowing move early on and then rounding Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama with two minutes left.
Nigeria caused problems for Spain's defence in between with John Mikel Obi and Sunday Mba going close.
Fernando Torres headed in two minutes after coming on as a substitute, before Alba sealed it to knock Nigeria out.
The goal from Chelsea striker Torres took the heat out of the contest, but despite Spain's superiority in possession, Nigeria were let down again by poor finishing when substitute Gambo Muhammad squirmed the ball wide with 15 minutes left.

He was set up by the impressive Ahmed Musa, who also created a great opportunity for Brown Ideye, but the striker's touch let him down in front of an open goal.

And although coach Stephen Keshi's Super Eagles bow out of the tournament with a solitary victory over Tahiti to finish third in Group B behind Uruguay, there were signs of encouragement for his young side.
Had they converted their chances the story of this game might have been different, but there was a sense that Spain still had another gear to move into if they needed it.

Uruguay 8-0 Tahiti.

Abel Hernandez scored a first-half hat-trick as Uruguay booked a place in the Confederations Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive win over Tahiti.

The striker scored a header and finished a Nicolas Lodeiro pass before Diego Perez and Hernandez made it four.

Suarez's worthwhile cameo

Luis Suarez came off the bench to score twice, moving him above Diego Forlan to become Uruguay's all-time leading goal-scorer with 35.

Andres Scotti's penalty was saved before the Uruguayan and Tahiti's Teheivarii Ludivion were sent off.

Lodeiro scored a fifth and Hernandez converted from the spot before substitute Luis Suarez added two more.
Oscar Tabarez's team will now face hosts Brazil in the last four on Wednesday.
Uruguay knew that a point would probably be enough to progress and Tabarez was confident enough to make 11 changes with the last four in mind.
That included leaving out Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan out of the starting line-up but Palermo's Hernandez, who had only scored three international goals before the match, provided plenty of cutting edge.
The amateurs of Tahiti have won plenty of praise for their efforts in Brazil and there were positives for them to take away from Recife, with striker Steevy Chong-Hue impressing and debutant Gilbert Meriel being able to celebrate his penalty save from Scotti.
But their prospects of claiming any more than flashes of pride were over after just one minute and 19 seconds, when Hernandez scored the quickest goal in the history of the competition.

So, after that this is how Group B looks at the end of the group stages:
               

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Spain	3	3	0	0	15	1	9
Uruguay	3	2	0	1	11	3	6
Nigeria	3	1	0	2	7	6	3
Tahiti	3	0	0	3	1	24	0

Transfer News

Witsel's keen on move to PSG.

Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel admits a move to Paris Saint-Germain would be impossible to turn down, after being linked with the Ligue 1 champions.

The Belgium international has been linked with PSG - with reports in France suggesting the Argentine striker Ezequiel Lavezzi could move the other way in part-exchange.
"For now my mind is 100 per cent focused on Zenit," Witsel told Belgian daily Sudinfo.
"PSG are one of the clubs who no player could be indifferent to. You could not refuse that."
Laurent Blanc is set to replace Carlo Ancelotti as PSG coach and Witsel is in the dark as to whether the former Bordeaux and France coach would be interested in signing him.

 AC Milan rule out Tevez raid.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani claims the Italian outfit have no plans to make a move for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez.

Galliani had hinted in the past that the Argentine frontman would be of interest to the Rossoneri.
He was quick to point out that players would need to be moved on first in order to free up funds, and maintains that is still the case if Milan are to add to their ranks.
It is, however, unlikely that Tevez will be targeted if sales are sanctioned - ruling out the prospect of him being reunited with former City team-mate Mario Balotelli at the San Siro.
"Tevez is not a transfer target for us," said Galliani.
"Before we will try to bring in new players, we will have to sell some of our own players first.
"It's not a financial problem, but has to do with the amount of attackers we already have. At the moment, we already have seven players for just three positions.

 

Confederations Cup

Here are the results of the two games that were played in Group A:

Brazil 4-2 Italy.

Neymar proved the inspiration once again as Brazil gave themselves the best chance of avoiding a semi-final with Spain by topping Group A with a dramatic victory over Italy in Salvador.

The 21-year-old lit up the Arena Fonte Nova with a spectacular second-half free-kick while striker Fred scored twice to set the Selecao on their way to a third straight win in the Confederations Cup.
Substitute Dante had prodded in to give Brazil the lead on the stroke of half-time, only for Emanuele Giaccherini to bring Italy level with a fierce shot early in the second half.
Neymar then produced his moment of magic, before Fred appeared to put the game beyond Italy with 23 minutes remaining.
Italy, however, came roaring back with a controversial and scrappy goal from Giorgio Chiellini. The Azzurri had the better of the final quarter of the match but Brazil made certain late on when Fred pounced as Gianluigi Buffon failed to hold Marcelo's shot to send the stadium into raptures.

The result means Brazil are likely to meet Uruguay in a semi-final in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. Italy face the prospect of a last four meeting with world champions Spain in Fortaleza, 24 hours later.

Much too had been made of the battle between two of the world's most gifted young players in Neymar and Mario Balotelli. Both were forced to ride some fierce, physical challenges throughout the game but underlined their immense talent with outstanding displays at either end.

Japan 1-2 Mexico.

Two second-half headers by Javier Hernandez saw Mexico depart the Confederations Cup on a winning note as Japan finished bottom of Group A.

Andres Guardado, who headed against the woodwork, provided the cross which saw Hernandez open the scoring after a fine run by the Manchester United man.
Both teams were already eliminated, but Mexico sealed the win when Hernandez scored from Giovani Dos Santos' corner.

Shinji Okazaki scored a consolation before Hernandez missed a late penalty.

Hernandez was hauled down by substitute Atsuto Uchida before the 25-year-old got to his feet to take the spot-kick which was kept out by Eiji Kawashima.
In a dramatic finale, the ball rebounded back to Hernandez who missed out on a hat-trick by blazing his second attempt against the bar.
However, the miss did not prove costly as Mexico finished third behind Brazil and Italy in the four-team group.

So after that game this is how Group A looks at the end of the group stages.

	P	W	D	L	Pts	GD
Brazil	3	3	0	0	9	+7
Italy	3	2	0	1	6	+0
Mexico	3	1	0	2	3	-2
Japan	3	0	0	3	0	-5