UEFA under 21 Final
29 June 2009 in Sweden
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Full report from all the other 2009 under 21 matches
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Brazil end the American dream
(Brazil 3 USA 2)
Brazil came from 2 goals down to win the Confederations Cup with 3 goals in the 2nd half against the USA. Clint Dempsey helped a Jonathan Spector cross past Julio Cesar in the 10th minute, and when Charlie Davies raced towards goal on the counter-attack and passed the ball to Landon Donavan, the American striker beat his marker with one swift move and dispatched the ball into the bottom corner to make another shock result a distinct possibility, but Brazil came out in the 2nd half with all guns blazing, and within a minute Luis Fabiano had turned the ball past Tim Howard to reduce the deficit. Brazil were unlucky not to be level on the hour-mark when Howard pushed a downward header by Kaka onto the underside of the bar from what looked to be behind the goal line, but in the 74th minute Kaka ran down the left side and fed Robinho whose shot came off the underside of the bar for Luis Fabiano to nod past the despairing Howard. With 6 minutes remaining Brazilian captain, Lucio, rose to meet a corner-kick with a decisive header which he steered in off the upright to give Brazil the 2009 Confederations Cup. Confederations Cup full match reports and pictures
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England 6 Andorra 0 (Wembley 10 June 2009)
An underground strike in London had made it difficult for some supporters to find their way to Wembley, but England had no difficulty in finding the Andorran net. With only 3 minutes into the match the Andorran keeper parried Walcott's shot onto the head of Rooney who hit the bar from close range, but a minute later Glen Johnson crossed the ball for Rooney to head down past Koldo for the opener. England had to wait until the 29th minute when Walcott cut the ball back in the box for Lampard to drive home, and 10 minutes later Johnson's cross into the box was met on the run by Rooney who extended the lead. Defoe came on in the 2nd half and rose to head in the 4th in the 73rd minute, and 2 minutes later when Koldo failed to hold onto Beckham's free-kick, Defoe followed up to make it five. With 10 minutes remaining Defoe's run into the box caused panic in the Andorra defence and Crouch poked the ball over the line to make it 6-0 to England.
In other matches ....
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Chelsea 2 Everton 1 (FA Cup final Wembley 30 May 2009)
Chelsea overcame the quickest goal in the history of the FA Cup with a goal in each half to win silverware for Guus Hiddink in his last match in charge of the club. Everton got off to a flying start when Fellaini won a header in the box with the ball falling to Saha who volleyed past Petr Cech after only 25 seconds. Didier Drogba rose in the 21st minute to pick the corner of the net with an emphatic header and level the score for Chelsea. Malouda released Anelka on the hour-mark but the Frenchman lifted the ball over the keeper and the crossbar. Seven minutes later a Saha header flew over the bar at the other end for Everton. Frank Lampard let fly in the 72nd minute to win the match for the Londoners. Malouda came close to increasing the deficit but lifted the ball over the bar from close range in the 75th minute, and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet 3 minutes later when he struck a tremendous shot which came off the underside of the crossbar and was adjudged not to have crossed the goal-line. The victory for Chelsea handed Ashley Cole a record 5th FA Cup winners' medal.
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Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0 (Campions League final Rome 27 May 2009)
In the much awaited battle for European club supremacy, Manchester United started brightly with trigger-happy Ronaldo threatening Barcelona in the early stages but the Catalan side scored with their first attack of the match in the 10th minute when Samuel Eto'o cut inside Vidic and beat van der Sar at the near post.
Thierry Henry got into the box in the 50th minute but saw his effort blocked by the legs of van der Sar. Four minutes later Xavi hit the base of the United post from a free-kick but with 20 minutes remaining his cross was met by little Lionel Messi's leaping header who found the corner of the net with the side of his head to secure the cup for Barcelona
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Burnley 1 Sheffield United 0 (Wembley 25 May 2009)
With Wolves and Birmingham having already gained promotion to the Premier League, Sheffield Untied and Burnley met at Wembley for the final place in the highest tier of English football. Wade Elliott received the ball back after a long run and curled it over and beyond Kenny in the United goal to give Burnley a 13th minute lead. Ten minutes into the second half a cross to the far post was headed back across the goal for Gudjonsson to knock in from close range, but Montgomery got in the way to deny Burnley a second. Thompson broke free in the 66th minute and squared the ball to Robbie Blake who was about to pull the trigger when the speedy Kyle Walker made a brilliant last ditch tackle to keep the game alive. Sheffield United made matters harder for themselves when substitute Jamie Ward was dismissed after picking up a 2nd yellow in 4 minutes for a deliberate handball in front of the Burnley goal with 11 minutes remaining. The final whistle signalled the end of Burnley's 33-year wait for a return to the top flight of English football.
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Manchester United lifted the 2008 FIFA World Club Cup by beating South America champions Liga de Quito from Ecuador in the final. LDQ almost took the lead in the 4th minute but Jairo Campos failed to connect to an in-swinging free kick which had van der Sar stranded. The European champions dominated the first half, bur Jose Cevallos made several superb saves which included getting down to keep out a firm header from Tevez. Four minutes into the 2nd half Nemanja Vidic received a straight red for elbowing an opponent whilst on the ground, but Quito were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage and Ronaldo teed the ball up for Rooney to find the bottom corner for the winner with a crisp shot in the 73rd minute. Manso came close with a fierce shot in the dying minutes, but van der Sar tipped the ball to safety with a brilliant dive to ensure victory for the English champions.
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Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg claimed the European Super Cup with a win over English and European champions Manchester United in Monaco. The UEFA Cup winners took the lead moments before the break when Denisov lifted the ball over van der Sar for Pogrebnyak to head over the line. Zenit doubled their lead in the 58th minute with an individual goal from Danny who weaved his way into the box to knock the ball past van der Sar in the United goal. Tevez and Rooney combined in the 73rd minute to set up Vidic who reduced the deficit for the Red Devils, but the English side could only find the net through the hand of Scholes who was consequently dismissed for his 2nd yellow a minute from time.
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A single goal against Nigeria in the final was enough to give Argentina gold in the scorching Beijing heat. A through ball from Messi in the 58th minute fed Angel di Maria who lifted the ball past Nigeria keeper Ambruse Vanzekin to decide the match. Nigeria created very few chances and had to settle for silver as the midday sun took its toll. Brazil had won bronze a day earlier with a convencing but somewhat flattering 3-0 win over Belgium. In the women's final Carli Lloyd struck a powerful low shot past Brazilian keeper Barbara 6 minutes into extra time to win the USA another gold. Bajramaj scored both goals as Germany defeated Japan 2-0 for the bronze. More ....
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Spain 1 Germany 0 (Euro 2008 Final in Vienna)
A stylish Spanish side were crowned champions of Europe after beating Germany in the final of Euro 2008. Lehmann reacted well to save Metzelder from an own goal as he intercepted a low cross in the 14th minute and had to rely on luck in the 23rd minute as a header from Torres came off the inside of the post. Ten minutes later Fernando Torres showed strength, pace and accuracy to shrug off Lahm and dink the ball past Lehmann into the far corner of the goal. Ballack came close for Germany with a shot on the hour-mark, but Spain continued to create chances and Lehmann was forced to make a brilliant reflex save to push a free header from Ramos over the bar in the 67th minute with Frings clearing off the line to keep out Iniesta's shot from the ensuing corner. A cross in the 81st minute was headed back across the face of the German goal by Guiza, but the sliding Senna failed to connect. The final whistle marked Spain's biggest achievement since 1964.
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Defending champions Egypt beat Cameroon 1-0 to win the Africa Cup of Nations for a record 6th time. Hosni brought a save out of Kameni from a free-kick early in the match and Al Hadari made a save from a Geremi free-kick in the 18th minute, but less than a minute later Egypt were on the attack again and Moteab's powerful 15-yard angled shot was brilliantly parried by Kameni only for the rebound to be lofted over the bar by Aboutrika. Nine minutes before half-time a through ball found Moteab inside the box, but once again Kameni proved unbeatable. The Pharaohs continued to push forward in the 2nd half and hit the post with an Abd-Rabou header in the 61st minute, before finally getting heir reward with 13 minutes left when Zidane's persistence got the better of Rigobert Song and the ball was laid on to Aboutrika who slotted the ball past Kameni to spark off huge scenes of celebration among the Egypt fans. (Egypt 1 Cameroon 0)
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Germany 2 Brazil 0 ( Women's World Cup Final )
China September 30
Germany successfully defended their title beating the flamboyant Brazil 2-0 in the final. Brazil who failed to capitalize on their first half territorial supremacy, were punished in the second half when the deadly Birgit Prinz struck in the 52nd minute. Brazil were handed a lifeline but Marta saw her spot kick saved by the invincible Angerer. Simone Lauder put the cup beyond the reach of Brazil with a header in the 86th minute. Germany win the World Cup without conceding a goal in the entire tournament.
USA 4 Norway 1 ( Third place play-off ) - USA claimed 3rd place in the world with a convincing 4-1 win over Norway. Abby Wambach deflected a Chalupny shot to wrong-foot the Norwegian keeper in the 30th minute and forced the ball over the line after it had come off the post at the start of the second half. Lori Chalupny (58) and Heather O'Reilly (59) put the match to bed before Ragnhild Gulbrandsen scored a consolation goal with a looping header in the 63rd minute.
Asian Cup 2007 (Final)
Iraq Conquer Asia
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War-stricken Iraq showed unity and determination to win the 2007 Asian Cup, beating Saudi Arabia in the final.
Iraq were worthy winners of this match allowing Saudi Arabia very few chances. Taiseer Al Jassam came closest for Saudi Arabia on the hour-mark forcing Noor Sabri into a flying save, but 2 minutes later Al Mosailem in the Saudi goal had to make 2 saves in quick succession to deny Younes Mahmoud and Nashat Akram. Younes Mahmoud scored the winner for Iraq beating the Saudi Keeper with a header at the far post from a well delivered corner in the 71st minute and could have netted another 5 minutes later, but failed to run the ball past the advancing Al Mosailem. In the remaining minutes Saudi Arabia could not pose any serious threats and the final whistle sealed a fairytale triumph for Iraq who lifted their first ever major trophy by winning the 2007 Asian Cup.
Copa America 2007 (Final)
Brazil lift the cup
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Brazil retained the Copa America by beating Argentina in the final as they did 3 years ago.
Baptista stunned Argentina in the 4th minute when he curled the ball into the top corner of the net. Four minutes later Veron set up Riquelme with a cushioned header, but he smashed the ball against the post. In the 35th minute Doni made a superb save diving to his left to deny Riquelme. With 5 minutes of the first half remaining, Ayala slid in to block a low cross and inadvertently turned the ball into his own net giving Brazil a two-goal lead at half time. Argentina failed to threaten Brazil's hold on the cup in the second half, and when Vagner Love slipped the ball into the path of Alvez he secured the result with a clinical finish in the 69th minute.
 Africa 2008
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