 |
||
 |
 |
 |
|
YOKOHAMA
|
||
Match Report
The Inter Milan star struck twice in the second half to settle an entertaining contest.
It is the fifth time Brazil have won football's ultimate prize, cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition.
And Ronaldo confirmed his reputation as the world's best striker by winning the Golden Boot award for the competition's leading goalscorer.
It was a story of retribution for Ronaldo, who made up for his anonymous display in the final four years ago when France beat Brazil 3-0.
He also erased the memory of a dismal first-half performance when he squandered three gilt-edged chances.
Germany had their moments in an open match - but the European hopefuls had no answer to Ronaldo's predatory instincts.
Much of the pre-match build-up had focused on the personal battle between Ronaldo and Oliver Kahn, the leading striker and goalkeeper in the 2002 World Cup.
And it was the Brazilian who won the duel, as Kahn's blunder handed him the first goal after 67 minutes.
A speculative shot from Rivaldo should have been comfortably collected by Kahn, but instead he spilled the ball at the feet of Ronaldo, who tucked the ball into the net.
Twelve minutes later and the game was out of sight for Brazil.
Rivaldo's dummy deceived the German defence and Ronaldo beat Kahn with an excellent side-foot shot.
It had looked so different in the early stages, when Germany - inspired by Bernd Schneider - were the most dangerous team.
Predictions that Germany would sit back and defend proved way off the mark as they took the game to back-pedalling Brazil with some neat passing moves.
But Brazil remained a threat on the break - and Ronaldo should twice have given them the lead after being sent clean through on goal by the livewire Ronaldinho.
But Ronaldo blew both chances, as first he prodded a shot wide of goal and then missed his kick as Oliver Kahn raced off his line to collect the ball.
With half-time approaching, the Brazilians began to step up the pressure.
Midfielder Kleberson twice came close - breaking clear only to scuff the ball past the post and then curling a shot which smacked against Kahn's crossbar.
And in first-half injury time Ronaldo had his third great opportunity - but this time Kahn kept out his shot from point-blank range.
Germany began the second half in exactly the way they had started the first - on the attack.
And after Jens Jeremies' header was blocked on the line by Edmilson, Oliver Neuville's thundering free-kick was brilliantly turned onto his own post by Brazil keeper Marcos.
With the game opening up, the action switched to the other end, where Kahn again did well to block Gilberto Silva's header.
Germany Team
Brazil Team
Thomas Linke
Christoph Metzelder
Torsten Frings
Dietmar Hamann
Jens Jeremies (s) Gerald Asamoah [77]
Carsten Ramelow
Bernd Schneider
Marco Bode Christian Ziege [84]
Miroslav Klose (s) Oliver Bierhoff [74]
Oliver Neuville
Cafu
Edmílson
Lúcio
Roberto Carlos
Roque Junior
Gilberto Silva
Kléberson
Rivaldo
Ronaldinho (s) Juninho Paulista [85]
Ronaldo (s) Denilson [90]
Game Stats
Goals
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Attendance:
Officials: Pierluigi Collina