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Brazil, Mexico in Confederations final

Brazil waltzed by a game Saudi Arabia with an eight-goal onslaught, while Mexico needed a 'golden goal' in extra-time to defeat the United States in semi-final matches of the Confederations Cup Football Tournament yesterday.

With the results, Brazil will face host Mexico in Mexico city's Azteca stadium on Wednesday in the final of the eight-country FIFA tournament.

''It will be very difficult in Azteca stadium,'' Brazil coach Wanderlay Luxemburgo said after Sunday's match.

Reigning Cup champions Brazil secured a birth in the final with an 8-2 rout over the surprising Saudis. Brazil appeared to be coasting to victory with two goals in the opening 11 minutes, from defender Joao Carlos and 19-year-old Ronaldo Assis, his international stature growing with each match. But Marzouk Al Otaibi, the four-goal hero in the 5-1 victory over Egypt, led a spirited first-half fightback by Saudi Arabia with two goals in nine minutes.

Brazilian goalkeeper Dida had not conceded a goal for 530 minutes of international football prior to Sunday's semi-final but had little chance against Al Otaibi's opportunistic goals clinically finished at the 22nd and 31st minutes.

However Brazil, who beat Saudi Arabia 3-0 in the 1997 tournament, retained its composure with a quick reply through Ze Roberto two minutes later.

Three minutes later, in the 36th minute, Alex struck his third goal of the tournament, heading in a cross from Ze Roberto.

As Guadalajara's Jalisco stadium was struck by a second-half torrential downpour, the Brazilian goal floodgates stayed opened.

Substitute Rni added a fifth goal, Ronaldinho, as the new forward sensation is popularly known, sliding in for his second.

Alex then added his second before Ronaldinho fittingly completed his hat-trick with a solo effort to close the Brazilian scoring on the stroke of full-time.

Earlier, it took a sudden-death golden goal in Azteca stadium from striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco in the seventh minute of extra-time for Mexico to beat the United States in the day's other semi-final.

''It was the most important goal of my career,'' Blanco said. "But it wasn't the goal I'm dreaming of. That will come in the final.''

Blanco's winner arrived after 90 minutes of goalless frustration for the 70,000 home crowd, with US and Leicester city goalkeeper Kasey Keller pulling off a string of spectacular saves to keep his team in the match.

Blanco missed with his first stab at the ball in the goalmouth scramble but Keller was thrown off balance and Blanco pushed the ball inside the near post at his second attempt.

Keller had been tested early on by Rafael Marquez and Ramon Ramirez, but he denied the Mexicans repeatedly.

The best American chance was in the 53rd minute, but Ernie Stewart's shot was pushed away for a corner by Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos.

The Americans travel to Guadalajara to face the Saudis in the match for the tournament's third-place spot on Tuesday.

UNI