Late Drama takes Brazil to Confed Cup Final

Brazil 2-1 Uruguay: Late Paulinho header books Confeds Cup final berth as hosts reach third straight Confederations Cup final

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Neymar in action against Uruguay

Tottenham target Paulinho nodded in Neymar’s far-post corner to send Luiz Felipe Scolari and coaching team dancing down the touchline at full-time as 

Brazil progressed to the Confederations Cup final with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over a gritty Uruguay side on Wednesday night.

Paulinho

An underwhelming game, which had featured a first-half penalty miss from Diego Forlan, appeared to be heading for extra time, with Edinson Cavani cancelling out Fred's opener for the hosts.

However, Paulinho nodded home a Neymar corner with just four minutes of normal time remaining to send the Belo Horizonte crowd into ecstasy, and leave Uruguay heartbroken.

Brazil looked weighed down by the almost tangible sense of expectancy among a partisan crowd packed into the Estadio Mineirao. 

However, even the significant pressure the hosts were under could not explain precisely why Selecaocentre-half David Luiz took leave of his senses and elected to haul Diego Lugano to the floor as the pair jostled for position at a corner 14 minutes in.

Luiz's stupidity really should have resulted in Uruguay taking the lead, but Forlan squandered the opportunity to score against the country in which he plies his trade, the Internacional attacker seeing his low spot kick turned around the post by Julio Cesar.

FOR-TITUDE - Juilo Cesar saves Diego Forlan's penalty

That fine stop drew a thunderous roar from the crowd but, in truth, they were given little else to cheer about during a desperately fractious opening quarter in Belo Horizonte. Hulk worked himself into a fantastic position just before the half-hour mark, after a neat one-two with Neymar, but the Zenit forward ballooned his effort over the bar.
Brazil's mounting frustration then threatened to get the better of them, with Luiz Gustavo picking up a deserved booking for following through on Cristian Rodriguez, but they made a crucial breakthrough just before the interval.
Paulinho picked out Neymar's clever run in behind the Uruguay defence with a measured chip into the area and the Brazil No.10 controlled the ball on his chest before flicking it goalwards. Fernando Muslera saved well with his outstretched left arm but Fred was on hand to slice home the rebound with the aid of his shin. It was a fittingly scrappy opener, given what had gone before.

Fred scores against uruguay

Uruguay replied in somewhat similar circumstances just three minutes into the second half, with Thiago Silva - of all players - inexplicably passing the ball straight to Cavani, after a game of pinball in the Brazilian box. The in-demand Napoli striker took a quick touch before beating Julio Cesar with a low strike into the far left corner.

Uruguay very nearly went ahead midway through the second period through a Luis Suarez header that was deflected just over, before Fred flashed a spectacular - but wayward - volley that never looked likely to trouble Muslera.

Edinson Cavani scores against Brazil

Uruguay dropped deeper and deeper as Brazil went to the flanks in search of an opening. Cavani, though, still threatened. One shot deflected narrowly wide, but with time running out it was the hosts who struck the decisive blow. Neymar floated a corner over from the left and Paulinho rose highest to head in at the far post and spark scenes of jubilation.

Yesss! We Did It!

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari:

"If you keep plugging away something good will happen and that happened today.

"Four wins in four games is important. We are on the right track."

Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez:

"More than having an effect on my team, the penalty miss had a huge effect on the opponent.

"They had been second best until then and from that moment they grew."

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