Kaka sent off as Brazil beat Ivory Coast to go through

JOHANNESBURG - Brazil beat Ivory Coast 3-1 to qualify from Group G Sunday in Johannesburg but Kaka was sent off.

Dunga’s team took the lead in Soccer City through Luis Fabiano in the 25th minute and he added a second five minutes into the second half before Elano made it three in the 62nd.

Ivory Coast pulled one back through Didier Drogba and Brazil played out the last two minutes of normal time with 10 men after Kaka received a harsh second yellow card for a push on Kader Keita.

Ivory Coast manager Sven-Goran Eriksson actually coached his opposite number Dunga when they were manager and player at Fiorentina in 1988-89 and he was aiming to become the first coach to manage a team not from Europe or South America to victory over Brazil.

Dunga named an unchanged side while Ivory Coast started with their captain Didier Drogba. His World Cup looked over when he broke his arm June 4 in a friendly against Japan but he lead his team out for arguably the biggest game in their football history.

It took less than a minute for Brazil to launch their first attack with Kaka racing away and feeding Robinho who sent his shot over Boubacar Barry’s bar for a goal-kick.

For Ivory Coast Emmanuel Eboue won a free-kick in shooting range but Drogba ballooned his effort well over. The Chelsea man was then pulled down by Lucio on the left wing and with the free-kick this time taken by Eboue, Julio Cesar had to punch away.

On 18 minutes, Maicon won a corner and Elano’s kick was drilled goalwards by Gilberto Silva and then skied by Robinho.

Maicon was a real early threat down the right for Brazil but when the breakthrough came in the 25th minute it was straight through the middle and straight out of the Brazilian football text book.

Luis Fabiano took a pass from Robinho and back-heeled the ball to Kaka. He played the Sevilla striker through and Fabiano rifled a shot into the roof of Barry’s net scoring his first goal for his country since last September.

Ivory Coast responded with long shots from Aruna Dindane and Eboue but five minutes into the second half Brazil doubled their lead and Fabiano had his second goal and his 27th in 40 matches for his country.

The man Sevilla fans call “El Fabuloso” juggled the ball first over Didier Zokora and then over Siaka Tiene before smashing it past Barry. Replays suggested the top of the striker’s arm may have helped in the exquisite control but the goal stood and Brazil were home and dry.

In the 54th minute Ivory Coast were nearly thrown a lifeline when Didane crossed and Drogba rose between Lucio and Maicon but could only head wide of Julio Cesar’s far post.

Barry saved from Kaka just past the hour mark but on 62 minutes the Ivory Coast keeper could do nothing about Elano’s effort from close range from Kaka’s left-wing cross making it 3-0.

Elano was then clattered by Tiote and had to be replaced by Dani Alves, hardly a change that weakened Dunga’s side although he will be concerned by the way Elano limped off straight down the tunnel.

Gervinho replaced Dindane and the Lille striker was involved in the build-up as Ivory Coast pulled a goal back on 79 minutes when Drogba sprung the off-side trap and headed a Yaya Toure cross past a stationary Julio Cesar.

Tempers falred in the final stages when Kader Keita ran into Kaka and went down holding his face. The Brazilian had already been booked and was harshly sent off.