Brazil are through to the final of the Confederations Cup 2005 Germany, having beaten the hosts 3-2 in a thrilling match in Nuremburg this evening.

The game started off rather cagily from both sides, with some petulant tackles flying in within the opening minutes. This, combined with yet another so called "supporter" invading the pitch, in what is turning out to be a VERY major security concern for the organizers of the FIFA World Cup Finals 2006, led to the first ten minutes of the match being no more than a series of free kicks.

The first shot on goal came in the 10th minute, with a Ronaldinho free-kick sailing past all the bodies in the box, and just wide of the German keepers left post untouched. This led to a short period of German dominance, with a series of free kicks, Ballack's being blocked, and Schneider coming very close with a shot that landed on the roof of the net having left Dida stranded.

Brazil then earned a free kick 40 yards from goal in the 20th, when Robinho was brought down, and the resulting shot from Adriano was deflected wickedly off a German defender to sail past Jens Lehmann in the home goal to make it 1-0 to Brazil.

Germany replied within minutes with Podolski stealing in behind Chelsea FC's Robert Huth to bury a header to make the score even at 1-1. The game carried on at a fast tempo, from end to end, with both teams having shots, but it was notable that the defending on both sides was, at times, atrocious. On Brazils behalf, Roque Jr. seemed to think that it was a wrestling tournament rather than a football match, with consistent tugging and grappling with the Germans, only to add to the tally of yellow cards being handed out by the referee.

Robert Huth was yet again the guilty culprit, when he two handedly barged Adriano out of the way in the penalty area to gift-wrap a spot-kick for the Brazilians. Ronaldinho stepped up to take the penalty, and duly scored with a beauty past Lehmanns right. 2-1 to Brazil.

The first half was still not over, and the home team pressed the visitors hard for an equalizer, and with a minute into injury time before the break the home team were awarded a questionable penalty, from a tussle between both Huth and Roque Jr. Ballack, who throughout the match was excellent, duly stepped up and did the honours for Germany from the spot, and so the game went into the break 2-2.

The second half started off very slowly, with both teams sharing the possession evenly, and, as things started to pick up in tempo, both sides began to show some width on the pitch, and some runs were being made, but all shots wide of the mark.

The Germans had a few great breaks, but lack of communication between Kevin Kuranyi with the rest of his team, especially Michael Ballack, and the consistent breakdown of plays, forced Jurgen Klinsmann to substitute the ineffective Kuranyi for the striker Gerald Asamoah. This proved to give the Germans a little lift, and the game began to take some shape for the home side to take the lead for the first time in the match.

All was end to end from this point, until the 76th minute, when the deadlock was eventually broken with a stunning Brazilian move that left Adriano onside for once, and he finished sublimely across goal past both Huth and Lehmann, 3-2.

Julio Baptista came on as a sub in the closing minutes, and with the help of another of the Brazilian substitutions, the excellent Cucinho (the right-back who looks like he should be a centre-forward), the away team pushed to extend their lead. Friedrich especially was exemplary in the heart of the German defence, and the Germans fought hard in the closing minutes to force an equalizer, and so extra time.

But despite the pressure from the Germans in the closing moments, and a couple of chances on the home teams part, the World Cup champions held on for a deserved win, and the chance to play either Argentina or Mexico in the final next Wednesday.

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