France, Japan in Confederations final

Eoghan Sweeney

World and European champions France beat Brazil 2-1 in a re-run of the 1998 World Cup final on Thursday and will play hosts Japan in the final of the Confederations Cup.

Brazil played their best football of the tournament against France but, in the first meeting between the top two teams in the world since the Paris final, they were always second best.

Earlier Japan beat Australia 1-0 in a torrential downpour thanks to a 43rd minute free kick from AS Roma's Hidetoshi Nakata. The final takes place on Sunday in Yokohama.

France took an early lead through Robert Pires but let Brazil back into the game before captain Marcel Desailly hit the winner early in the second half.

Roger Lemerre's French side had the bulk of the play and the scoring chances, but were made to work for their win by an understrength yet tenacious Brazil.

Brazil contained just one player from their starting line-up in the 1998 final - Leonardo - while France had five of the team that won 3-0.

A spectacular 18-metre volley from Pires put France ahead after seven minutes, the highlight of a blistering opening half by the Arsenal forward. He had almost grabbed the opener a minute earlier with a 35-metre effort that Brazilian goalkeeper Dida did well to tip wide.

Youri Djorkaeff's overhit corner was headed back by Patrick Vieira. Waiting on the edge of the area, Pires hit the ball first time to give Dida diving to his left no chance.

WASTED

Pires almost got his second 11 minutes later as he came in at the near post to hit Sylvain Wiltord's cross narrowly wide.

Nicolas Anelka then wasted a good chance after Pires sent him racing through. With the goal at his mercy, the striker pulled his shot well wide.

Despite making room for himself several times during the game, Anelka seemed to have left his shooting boots at home in Paris - he missed two easy chances to wrap things up in the second half.

Lemerre defended his centre-forward. "When you're going at speed like that it's not so easy to finish," he said.

France were stunned by a typical Brazilian set-piece in the 30th minute. Christian Karembeu conceded a free kick 25 metres out, getting a yellow card in the process, and Ramon stepped up to curl the ball over the wall and past Ulrich Rame.

Brazil came out after the break looking more confident, and just three minutes into the second half, Washington almost got through but was denied by Rame and Frank Leboeuf.

Having had a narrow escape France capitalised within five minutes, captain Marcel Desailly restoring the lead from another set piece in the 54th minute.

"Of course any time is a good time to get a goal," Leboeuf said. "But to score at that time probably killed off Brazil."

Desailly came charging in to meet Djorkaeff's inswinging free kick and glanced a header into the bottom corner.

Brazilian coach Emerson Leao said the French deserved their victory.

"France were the better team and deserved to win," he said. "But it was a game that could have gone either way."