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Before the Confederations Cup final between hosts Brazil and world and European champions Spain, the national anthems were played at the Maracana, as is custom.
While the Spain players appeared to treat their anthem with the understated pride we’ve grown so accustomed to from a number of countries, including England, the Brazilians had a rather more upbeat approach.
In fact, every player — from David Luiz to the sublimely talented Neymar to Julio Cesar — belted out the anthem with unwavering passion as the 75,000-strong home crowd added their voice, creating a wall of sound in the iconic stadium before kick-off.
But that wasn’t all. This lot went above and beyond too.
Not content with finishing their chorus after the instrumental accompaniment ceased, the crowd and players sang another few lines as the atmosphere — and volume — reached another level. As the crowd roared and Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers blew his whistle to start the match, only one team looked het up and ready to run riot in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazilian Fred netted the opener after just two minutes and the hosts never loosened their grip on the game, bringing the best international team of the last decade to their knees.
The noise never ceased, as Neymar led the assault on Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique’s flailing defence. The Barcelona new boy netted just before the break, before Manchester City target Fred slotted home his second just after half-time. It didn’t get much better for the Spain centre halves either.
Ramos missed a penalty at 3-0 down before Pique was sent off for hacking new Barcelona team-mate Neymar down having been left in his wake once again. Passion isn’t all that is needed of course, and Brazil hardly looked like the inferior outfit in terms of abilty. Juan Mata, who has been exceptional for club and country this season, could barely keep the ball for Spain and Barcelona’s metronome Xavi was stifled by Luis Gustavo and Tottenham-bound Paulinho in the centre of the park.
And Brazil’s three-pronged attack of Neymar, Hulk and Fred was irresistible. So significant was Neymar’s impact in the first half, that Alvaro Arbeloa had to be substituted at half-time because he could do nothing to stem the flow. Spain never looked as though they could turn the tide at the Maracana after going a goal down. In fact, they never even started after the booming Brazilian anthem.
And this was about Neymar inspiring Brazil to a crushing victory over World and European champions Spain. The Barcelona superstar scored a stunning strike just before the break and his goal was sandwiched by two Fred goals early in each half, the first a scrappy affair and the second a neat curled finish.
Brazil gave a raucous Maracana crowd a dream start as with just over a minute on the clock, Fred showed superb presence of mind when, in trying to meet Hulk’s cross, he was buffeted by two defenders.
The ball rebounded off Neymar and Spain right back Alvaro Arbeloa and, flat on his face, Fred managed to improvise and poke the ball past Iker Casillas. Spain’s goalkeeper was almost caught out by Paulinho’s 13th-minute lob, backpedalling to palm the ball off the line before falling gratefully on the loose ball. Arbeloa was then booked for a cynical pull on Neymar.
The Barcelona new boy would have had a clear run on goal, sparking Brazilian claims for a red card despite the challenge taking place in the centre circle. That sparked the second flashpoint of the early exchanges, with players from both teams having earlier squared off.
Ramos was booked for hauling down Oscar on the edge of the box, with Hulk blazing wide from the free-kick, while Fred spurned a glorious chance when teed up by Neymar.
David Luiz saved Brazil with a remarkable sliding goalline clearance after a fluent Spanish break ended with Pedro curling the ball past Cesar.
It was a timely intervention as Neymar doubled Brazil’s lead a minute before half-time, hammering the ball inside Casillas’s near post after exchanging passes with Oscar on the edge of the box.
Cesar Azpilicueta replaced the hapless Arbeloa at half-time but Brazil quickly extended their advantage.
Hulk and Neymar set up Fred to curl the ball inside the far post despite Casillas getting his fingers to the shot.
Hulk could have added his name to the scoresheet but Casillas charged out of his area to block the powerful forward’s lob.
Ramos then had a great chance to get Spain back into the game when they were awarded a penalty following Marcelo’s foul on Jesus Navas.
However, Ramos drilled the spot-kick wide of the left-hand post and that just about summed up his side’s night. David Villa replaced Torres before Navas had a shot deflected wide, Gerard Pique heading the resulting corner straight at Cesar.
Marcelo blazed into the side-netting for Brazil before apologising to Fred, who was waiting in the six-yard box to be presented with a certain hat-trick.
Casillas again had to come off limits to foil Hulk while a sliding Villa was unable to meet Pedro’s dangerous cross-shot at the other end. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter