Last update 16 November, 2012 by Julio Muñoz
Argentina and Brazil successfully completed their European friendlies against Germany and Sweden. The albiceleste was much superior (1-3) to a Germany that played an hour with 10 men due to expulsion of goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, who knocked down Sosa inside the area. While, Mano Menezes' boys regained their self-esteem in Stockholm (0-3), at Rasunda stadium, scene where the myth Pelé was born.
Argentina took the victory in Frankfurt (1-3), a fair victory founded on the goals of Leo Messi and Ángel di María, but also in the hour of the game that Germany played with a man less. The match was very decided by the action that occurred half an hour into the game. Mascherano filtered a great inside pass at the speed of Sosa, who was ahead of Zieler's exit and was knocked down. Penalty and expulsion of the German goalkeeper, but Messi's low and weak shot allowed young Ter Stegen his small moment of glory., that stopped the launch.
Misfortune struck the German team again just before half-time, with an almost comical play that cost him the first goal against. Khedira cleared a cross towards his goal and the ball touched Howedes and the goalkeeper before sneaking in, unexpectedly rewarding the good Argentine game.
The second half confirmed the dominance of the albiceleste, grown by their numerical superiority and the momentum of Messi. Shortly after passing through the locker room, the 10’ He redeemed himself from the penalty by scoring after a good serve from Higuaín and shortly after the other Madrid player on the team, Angel di Maria, A powerful shot was taken from very far away that surprised Ter Stegen to put the 0-3. In the final stretch, Germany used pride to make up the score through Howedes.
Brazil knocks out Sweden in Rasunda's last match
For your part, Brazil, with better football than the one he exhibited in London 2012 and two minutes of Duck shine, was imposed by 0-3 to Sweden in what was the last match before the demolition of Rasunda, the Stockholm stadium where the Brazilian team won its first World Cup (1958) and where the Pelé myth was born.
The victory allowed Mano Menezes' team to regain part of the confidence lost in London. That recovery, however, It occurred against a Sweden that did not call up eight of the players with whom it played in this year's Euro Cup - in which it was eliminated in the first phase- and that he could not count on Ibrahimovic due to injury. Although it was clearly superior in the 90 minutes, The wide score was not a reflection of a match in which Brazil insisted with several plays but failed to finish on several occasions.
Brazil opened the scoring in the first half through Leandro Damiao and only consolidated their advantage in the 10 last minutes, when Alexandre Pato replaced Damiao and scored the other two goals.
The commitment also served to say goodbye to the Rasunda and pay tribute to the Brazilians who won the World Cup in that stadium. 1958 before Sweden itself. After various tributes to the Brazilian champions and captains in different eras of the Swedish team, he “rey” Skin, the great attraction of festive events, He took an Olympic lap and kicked off the match. “It was very exciting. For me, it all started here at 17 years”, admitted the three-time world champion.
The experience of midfielder Ramires and full-back Daniel Alves guaranteed security at the back and a better way to attack, and allowed Neymar and Leandro Damiao to play more freely in the front. Brazil began looking for the goal from the first minute and generated numerous dangerous plays but failed to finish.. In the minute 18, after a shot that Oscar hit the post from outside the area, Neymar took advantage of the rebound to beat Isaksson, but the referee annulled the score because it was offside.
Six minutes later, Daniel Alves took a free kick that passed a few centimeters from the Swedish goal. Brazil, who played with ease and created different dangerous plays, He opened the scoring with a header from Leandro Damiao after a millimetric lift from Neymar.
In the second half, The match seemed more even but the balance tipped again for Brazil with the different player changes. Pato, who entered Damiao's place, He had two minutes of inspiration and, after a goal in a doubtful position with a foul 10 minutes remaining, created the play in which he suffered the penalty that he himself converted two minutes later.