Soccer Confederation CupBrazil 4 Argentina 1 Brazil clinched the Confederations Cup in spectacular fashion with an impressive demolition of arch rivals Argentina in Frankfurt last night.
Long-range goals from Adriano and Kaka gave Brazil a commanding early lead before Ronaldinho and another goal from Internazionale striker Adriano continued the match's one-sided nature.
Argentina, who handed Brazil a painful 3-1 beating in a World Cup qualifier three weeks ago, grabbed a consolation goal through substitute Pablo Aimar in the 65th minute.
Eleven minutes into the clash, Adriano put his side ahead with a crushing 25-yard shot.
Controlling a short Cicinho pass on the right, the striker skipped past Gabriel Heinze, ran into the middle and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike before Esteban Cambiasso could intervene.
His effort, a carbon copy of the goal he scored against Greece earlier in the competition, flew past Argentina keeper German Lux.
Cesar Delgado almost took advantage of the Brazilian celebrations when, seconds after the restart, he found himself clean through on keeper Dida but the Milan star hacked the ball to safety.
Juan Roman Riquelme then curled a shot just past the post before Kaka delighted the sell-out crowd of 45,509 with another beautiful long-distance goal.
Instead of bringing in Robinho for a quick one-two in central midfield, Kaka gently curled a right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Ronaldinho put the issue beyond doubt just two minutes into the second half as he slotted home a Cicinho cross from the right wing.
The night got worse for Argentina as they conceded again in the 64th minute.
Cicinho sent over a cross from the right and Adriano rose highest to power a header past Lux.
Argentina eventually got a goal to their name a minute later. Javier Zanetti created space for Delgado on the right, and his cross was nodded in by substitute Aimar.
BRAZIL: Dida, Lucio, Roque Junior, Cicinho, Ze Roberto, Emerson, Gilberto, Kaka, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Adriano. Subs: Gomes, Marcos, Edu, Juan, Julio Baptista, Juninho, Leo, Luisao, Oliveira, Renato, Silva, Maicon.
ARGENTINA: Lux, Coloccini, Zanetti, Heinze, Placente, Cambiasso, Riquelme, Sorin, Bernardi, Figueroa, Delgado. Subs: Caballero, Franco, Aimar, Demichelis, Galletti, Milito, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Maxi Rodriguez, Samuel, Santana, Saviola, Tevez.
Referee: L Michel (Slovakia).
In the third-place play-off Michael Ballack scored with a blistering free-kick in extra-time to give 10-man Germany a 4-3 win over Mexico.
Germany, who will be hosting next year's World Cup, got off to a slow start but improved after Mike Hanke hit the crossbar midway through the half.
Ballack's shot from just outside the box curled over the wall and beyond Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez seven minutes into extra-time, giving Germany victory after Mexico had equalised three times in the opening 90 minutes.
Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Robert Huth scored for Germany.
Jared Borgetti scored with two headers and Jose Fonseca got the other for Mexico, who were playing extra-time for the second time in four days.
Third place gave Germany, who lost striker Hanke to a red card nine minutes into the second half, some consolation after losing 3-2 to world champions Brazil in the semi-finals.
"The way the crowd carried the team after Hanke was sent off was just sensational," said Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann.
GERMANY: Kahn, Hinkel, Mertesacker, Huth, Frings, Schweinsteiger, Deisler, Ballack, Schneider, Podolski, Hanke. Subs: Hildebrand, Lehmann, Friedrich, Owomoyela, Engelhardt, Brdaric, Asamoah, Ernst, Hitzlsperger, Borowski, Schulz, Kuranyi.
MEXICO: Oswaldo Sanchez, Mendez, Salcido, Osorio, Pardo, Morales, Naelson, Pineda, Perez, Fonseca, Borgetti. Subs: Munoz, Corona, Rafael Marquez, Torrado, Bravo, Rafael Marquez, Hugo Sanchez, Medina, Rodriguez, Lozano.
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)
