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US stun Germany to enter semis

The United States secured a semi-final berth in the Confederations Cup on Friday with a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 victory over current European champions Germany.

Later on Friday, reigning Cup champions Brazil, who had already qualified for Sunday's semi-final after beating the United States 1-0 on Wednesday, beat world minnows New Zealand 2-0 to head the Group B standings.

Needing only a draw for qualification, the United States made an incredible nine changes from the line-up that lost to Brazil on Wednesday.

The United States coach Bruce Arena had no doubts after the match about the sweeping changes. "We felt the group we put on the field were good enough to get the point we needed," he said.

But Arena also cited the heavy tournament schedule as a reason why he couldn't stick with a settled side. "I didn't think we could do it with three games in six days," he said, referring to the semi-final on Sunday.

The goals came in each half, including a spectacular 50th minute right-foot curling free-kick by Joe-Max Moore, making amends for the disappointment of his missed penalty during the defeat from Brazil on Wednesday.

Earlier, in the 23rd minute, Paul Bravo cleverly flicked the ball inside to 22-year-old striker Ben Olsen, starting his first game of the tournament, who slipped the ball into the net with the outside of his right foot.

German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann had no chance with either goal.

Germany looked a dispirited and tired team and rarely threatened Bradley Freidel's goal.

Germany were eliminated with the defeat, its second against United States this year, ending a tough tournament for coach Erich Ribbeck's team including a 4-0 thrashing from Brazil in the opening game.

Ribbeck blamed his side's poor preparation as the main reason for Germany's disastrous performance. "It's impossible to play in such a tournament so weakly prepared," a disillusioned Ribbeck said.

In the later game, Brazil, while never stretched by the 132nd-ranked New Zealand side, failed to impress an expectant 50,000 crowd in the Jalisco Staidum.

With qualification already secure, Brazilian coach Wanderley Luxemburgo had the luxury of resting players and testing new squad members ahead of the semi-final.

One such new entrant, Marcos Paulo, opened the scoring at the end of the first half with a long-range right-foot rasping shot.

Matters were settled late in the 88th minute when new teenage sensation Ronaldo Assis, a second-half substitute, lit up the occasion with a delicate curling free-kick which sailed past the stunned Kiwi goalkeeper Michael Utting for the 19-year-old's third goal of the tournament.

Brazil had beaten New Zealand 4-0 in the 1982 World Cup finals in their only previous encounter.

Brazil will now face surprise Group A runners-up Saudi Arabia in Sunday's semi-final at the Jalisco Stadium while the United States will expect a hostile reception against the host nation in Mexico City's Aztec Stadium on the same day.

Arena predicted a difficult encounter, rating Mexico as his pre-tournament favourite and "one of the top 10 teams in the world."

UNI