SoccerAmerica - Brazil and Italy finish tied in Geneva after a classic friendly 03/22/2013

[VIDEO PICK: Golazos] Mario Balotelli's stunning second-half curler capped a gripping 2-2 draw in Switzerland that featured terrific goals, abundant talent, strong challenges and a hard fought two-goal comeback by Italy against Brazil.

With nine of the 19 World Cups ever won owned by these two countries even a friendly in Switzerland between Brazil and Italy couldn’t stay neutral for long. The result was a terrific soccer game.

Italy started brightly but Fred, the 2012 MVP in Brazil’s first division, gave Brazil the lead in the 33rd minute when he calmly stroked home a deflection. Brazil’s second goal was utter Selecao with Neymar’s run setting the table for Oscar’s sublime finish, as Italy headed into halftime facing a 2-0 deficit.

The Azzurri responded after the break and Daniele De Rossi redirected a corner to halve the lead at the 54-minute mark, two minutes later Balotelli made David Luiz pay for conceding too much space with a wicked finish from distance. Both teams had chances afterward, with Italy looking more likely to win, and the 22-year-old Balotelli looking like the best player in Geneva throughout.

One can only hope the upcoming qualifiers are this compelling ...

5 comments

Alexandr Kotlyachkov

commented on: March 22, 2013 at 6:13 a.m.

The second match under coach Luis Felippe Scolari was very good in the first half of match. I decided after the first half that match was finished. I wondered team Italy and Mario Bolotelli in the second part of the match. Match showed that Brazil team must play with all concentration during all 90 minites using usual tactics accelerations in the most important moment of the game. Match against team Russia will be continue meeting with italian tactics of the footbal. I wondered that Halk take participation in the match against Italy. He played in Zenit SaintPeterburg and knows russian players and italian tactics Spalletti. I think that Halk may be useful in the game against Russia. I live in Omsk, Russia, was borh in Omsk in 5th of may 1968 year. And all my life I am wondering Brazil. I knows the Brazil teaching religion of the mankind.

feliks fuksman

commented on: March 24, 2013 at 9:59 p.m.

Agree Alexandr, Brazil needs concentrate much better throughout the 90min plus... Nevertheless, Italy is very dangerous when their backs are against the wall; they did vs Brazil in 82 in Spain, moreover, again last night. Did you mean, in your last sentence to say that soccer to Brazilians is just like religion?

Alexandr Kotlyachkov

commented on: March 24, 2013 at 10:54 p.m.

Brazilian soccer is the process of feeling any pain in nature and brazilians immediately use all possibilities to organize help and cure any defects in the nature of the planet Earth..

Alexandr Kotlyachkov

commented on: March 26, 2013 at 7:34 a.m.

In match Brazil-Russia 73 mimites was playing as comrad game. I thought that the result will be 0:0 And in 73 minites Faizulin scored goal. AND I AND ALL BRAZILIANS started FIGHTING AND IN 89 MINITE FRED SCORED GOAL. RESULT 1:1

Alexandr Kotlyachkov

commented on: March 26, 2013 at 7:11 p.m.

Brazil team in match against Russia attached tactics playing from defence in final match Confederation Cup against Spain. I use all my possibilities to WON battle against Spain. BRAZIL WIN WON!!!

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