Group B

Ahmed Al Muhamadi handles on the line

Day 1 matches
15 June 2009

Brave Pharaohs stretch Brazil
(Brazil 4 Egypt 3)
Egypt gave the millionaires of Brazil a run for their money in an exciting match that was decided by a last minute penalty. Kaka poked the ball over the defence and beat El Hadary after only 5 minutes, but 4 minutes later Abutreika delivered a delightful cross onto the head of Mohamed Zidan who nodded the ball past Julio Cesar in the Brazil goal. Within 2 minutes Elano crossed the ball into the penalty area from a free-kick, and Luis Fabiano found the corner of the net with a glancing header to put Brazil ahead. Juan met a corner kick with a powerful header in the 37th minute to extend the lead for Brazil, but in the 54th minute Moawad cut the ball back for Shawky to fire home from outside the box, and less than a minute later Egypt broke into the box and Zidan hammered the ball past Julio Cesar for 3-3. In the last minute of the match Ahmed Al Muhamadi received a red card for keeping the ball out with his arm, and Kaka slotted in the winner for Brazil from the spot.

Rossi beats Howard to make it safe for Italy

Ten man US surrender to Azzurri
(Italy 3 USA 1)
American-born Giuseppe Rossi scored twice for the world champions as 10-man USA ran out of steam in the 2nd half. The USA were reduced to 10 men when Ricardo Clark was shown red for a high tackle in the 33rd minute, but 7 minutes later Landon Donovan sent Buffon the wrong way from the spot to give the Americans the lead. Giuseppe Rossi equalised for Italy in the 58th minute with a rasping shot from outside the area, and a Danielle de Rossi long-range shot found the bottom corner of the net in the 72nd minute. Deep into stoppage time Pirlo turned skilfully on the left flank to beat a defender and set up Rossi who smacked the ball past Howard on the half volley giving Italy a 3-1 win.

Maicon beats Tim Howard from tight angle

Day 2 matches
18 June 2009

Brazil outclass Americans
(Brazil 3 USA 0)
In a totally one-sided match Brazil defeated the United States with considerable ease. Felipe Melo met a Maicon free-kick with a thumping header to give Brazil the lead in the 6th minute, and when the Americans ventured into the Brazil half for the first time in the 20th minute Brazil broke through on the counter-attack which ended in Robinho receiving the ball from Ramirez and side-footing it past Tim Howard. The dismissal of Kljestan for a lunging tackle in the 57th minute left the USA with an even steeper mountain to climb, and 5 minutes later after some quick interchanges among several Brazilian players, Maicon dispatched the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle to make it 3-0. With 7 minutes remaining, in a rare appearance in the Brazilian half, after some neat play the ball was laid on to Feilhaber whose thumping shot came of the underside of the bar; and a glancing header from Casey Conor in the last minute of the match shaved the crossbar, but the latter chances did not reflect the nature of the game and Brazil were comfortable winners.

Al Hadary keeps out Iaquinta

Egypt shock world champions
(Egypt 1 Italy 0)
African champions Egypt gave themselves a chance of reaching the semi-finals with a well earned victory over Italy. The Italians had tested Al Hadary with some long-range shots when a 40th minute corner-kick was floated onto the head of the unmarked Mohamed Homos, who headed the ball in off the post. In the 54th minute Iaquinta collected the ball behind the wall, but Al Hadary got in his way. The Egyptian keeper stuck out a foot to deny Iaquinta in the 70th minute and got down well 4 minutes later to keep out a shot from Montolivo. Iaquinta hit a 78th minute cross on the volley but Al Hadary stopped the ball on the line, and when the Egyptian keeper misjudged the flight of the ball from a cross in the 86th minute, the crossbar came to his resue and Egypt held on to record a famous win over Italy the day before manager Hassan Shehata's 60th birthday.

Buffon blocks Lucio shot

Day 3 matches
21 June 2009

Brazil punish poor Italy
(Brazil 3 Italy 0)
Another weak Italian performance saw the world champions exit the Confederations Cup after losing 3-0 to Brazil. A Brazilian cross was deflected onto the post in the 33rd minute and a minute later Buffon held his ground to keep out a shot from Lucio, but Luis Fabiano intercepted a shot and rolled it past Buffon in the 37th minute to give Brazil a deserved lead. With 2 minutes of the half remaining, Robinho stepped over a pass from Kaka in the box leaving the ball to reach Luis Fabiano who dinked it past Buffon, and just before the interval Brazil hit Italy on the break with Robinho rushing into the box and delivering a cross which Dossena could only turn into his own goal. Italy picked themselves up in the 2nd half, but could not rescue the game.

Charlie Davies persistence pays off as Al Hadary fails to hold on

American miracle
(USA 3 Egypt 0)
The United States displayed tremendous courage and self belief to move from bottom of the table into the semi-finals with a convincing victory over Egypt. The Americans opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Al Hadari failed to hold onto a shot and Charlie Davies forced the ball into the net. Landon Donovan went on a weaving run in the 29th minute but was stopped by the Egyptian keeper who kept the USA at bay until the 63rd minute when Donovan received the ball and teed it up for Michael Bradley to net the second. The Americans, who had had a 53rd minute penalty claim for a possible handball on the line turned down, got the all important goal in the 71st minute when Clint Dempsey connected with a cross to head the ball in and earn a semi-final match against European champions Spain.

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