Brazil, US ready for rematch; Golden Ball finalists set

RUSTENBURG - On the penultimate day of the Confederations Cup football, the last four teams in the fray spoke to the media and prepared to put final dressings on their South African adventure.

Brazil, who meet the United States in the final Sunday in Johannesburg, can move to the top of the FIFA world rankings if they win the event. They would replace Spain, who meet host South Africa in the third place match earlier in the day in Rustenburg.

Despite Spain’s 0-2 upset loss to the United States in the semi-finals, Brazilian coach Dunga insisted Saturday that the two teams in the final had earned their right to be there.

“I think the best two teams are in the final, and they deserve to be,” Dunga, who could become the first-ever player to win the Confederations Cup as both coach and player, told the media.

“It would be ideal to score early,” said the former player, who captained the Selecao to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States, when comparing Sunday’s final to Brazil’s 3-0 thumping of the US on June 18 in the group stage. “We will try to apply our normal rhythm and keep possession as much as possible.”

Dunga went out of his way to say that out-of-form playmaker Ronaldinho could still have a place in the side come the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“I would like him to come back,” said the first-time boss about the former world footballer of the year. “But it is really his responsibility to prove that he wants to come back. I think it depends more on him than on me.”

The Americans have promised to come out aggressively in their rematch with the five-time World Cup champions.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to start over and make sure that the beginning of the match is right for us,” said coach Bob Bradley, whose side have beaten Brazil only once in 15 previous meetings.

But Brazil captain Lucio has warned his side to be careful with the in-form US: “We must forget (the first-round win). This is a final now, and in a final anything can happen. I would say the chances for both teams are 50-50.”

In the third-place match, Spain is working hard to keep their motivation against South Africa, but they will likely be missing playmaker Xavi, who hasn’t trained since the semi-final after an “allergic reaction.”

Coach Vicente del Bosque told the media Saturday that his team would have no letdown because Spain wanted to avoid any further fallout from the tournament that they were favourites to win.

“We will put out the best possible team we have because we don’t want anyone to have regrets,” said the coach.

“I believe any match by the Spanish team, no matter where we play, is a tricky match because we are playing for our own prestige and the prestige of the players. For this reason, we have to do whatever is necessary to win.”

Meanwhile, FIFA Saturday released the short list for the Golden Ball, the player of the tournament prize.

Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan of the US; Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho of Brazil; Bernie Parker and Steven Pienaar of South Africa; and Fernando Torres, David Villa and Xavi of Spain will be eligible to receive votes from journalists.

Villa, Torres and Fabiano are joint-top scorers and all go into the last match day with three goals from four matches.

The Local Organizing Committee told reporters on Saturday that the World Cup would spike tourism and tax revenue in South Africa, saying that 7 billion dollars could be contributed to the economy during next year’s tournament. But, they said, the positive exposure for the country to tourists and future travel would be worth much more.

They also said that the closing ceremony would consist of 150 drummers and 150 dancers who would re-enact highlights of the tournament.