Defending champions Brazil reached the Copa America final on
Tuesday, beating a feisty Uruguay on penalties after twice
surrendering the lead in a 2-2 draw.
Maicon put Brazil ahead early on before a floodflight failure
stopped the first half of the semi-final for 14 minutes.
Diego Forlan equalised after the re-start only for Julio
Baptista to head Brazil back in front before halftime. Substitute
Sebastian Abreu pulled Uruguay level again midway through the
second half.
With no extra time played in the tournament, both teams missed
two penalties before Brazil won the shootout 5-4 after Diego
Lugano's last effort for Uruguay was saved by Doni.
The game ended in an ugly scuffle after Brazil's celebrations
appeared to provoke Uruguay as they repeated their penalty shootout
win over the same opponents at the same stage of the previous
tournament three years ago.
The game, played in sapping heat and humidity, got off to a
cautious start but Brazil went ahead in the 13th minute after
producing the first flowing move of the game.
A break down the right ended with Fabian Carini superbly saving
Mineiro's shot only for Maicon to snap up the rebound.
Uruguay came back into the game after the blackout with Alvaro
Recoba's inswinging free kicks and corners causing havoc in the
Brazil defence.
SUPERB SAVE
Brazil goalkeeper Doni was forced to punch away three Recoba
corners from under his crossbar and made a superb save to turn away
Forlan's shot on the turn.
In the fourth minute of time added on for the floodlight
failure, Doni failed to clear a Recoba cross and the ball fell to
Forlan, who scored with a low shot from the edge of the penalty
area.
But Brazil regained the lead five minutes later when Julio
Baptista headed in following a free kick on the right.
In the second half, Brazil appeared happy to sit back on the
lead but they paid when Abreu, who replaced Recoba at halftime,
equalised in the 70th minute.
Jorge Fucile slipped the ball to Cristian Rodriguez on the left,
his cross from the byline was headed on by Forlan to Abreu, who
scrambled the ball in at the far post.
Forlan's first penalty for Uruguay in the shootout was saved by
Doni while Alex Afonso crashed Brazil's fourth effort against the
post.
As the shootout went to sudden death, Fernando hit the post for
Brazil and Pablo Garcia, needing to convert to send Uruguay
through, did the same.
Gilberto then scored for Brazil and Lugano missed.
(China Daily via Reuters July 11, 2007)