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Brazil comeback to take title
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29 January 2009
After falling behind to efforts from Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan, the South Americans looked out of ideas when they left the field at half-time.
But Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano pulled one back immediately after the restart, before drawing his side level with 16 minutes still to play. Captain Lucio then had the final say when he powered home from an Elano corner to break American hearts and claim Brazil's third title.
The Brazilians were stunned in the 10th minute when Jonathan Spector delivered a fine cross from the right that was turned home by Dempsey from the centre of the penalty area - the Fulham forward's first-time touch leaving both Gilberto Silva and Lucio as onlookers as the ball was guided past Julio Cesar.
And they were dealt another massive blow in the 27th following with a sweeping counter-attack that was started and finished by Donovan. The Los Angeles Galaxy frontman picked the ball up on the halfway line and then spread it wide to Charlie Davies on the left, before collecting the return pass just outside the box, easing his way past Ramires and blasting a fine left-footed finish beyond Julio Cesar.
Dunga's half-time talk helped his players up the ante as they struck back in the 46th minute with Maicon finding Luis Fabiano just inside the box, and the Sevilla striker turned nicely, before firing low beyond goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Kaka's header then looked to have crossed the line - the Real Madrid playmaker nodded the ball goalward, with Howard punching it away off the crossbar, but replays showed it went in.
Donovan and Dempsey finally helped their side hit the target in the second half with their first attack coming just after the hour mark, but on both occasions Julio Cesar was there to punch the ball away, but the pressure proved too much at the other end.
Luis Fabiano was on hand to convert a Kaka cross which skimmed across the face of the goal from the left - Robinho's initial shot hitting the crossbar and falling into the path of his strike partner.
The equaliser came after 74 minutes and, shortly after Robinho powered agonisingly over from 20-yards out, Lucio met Elano's corner with thundering header that flew into Howard's top right-hand corner to complete a thrilling comeback.
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