Brazil embarking on new path - Scolari

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted his side were still a work in progress despite their Confederations Cup masterclass against world champions Spain on Sunday.

Scolari, the architect of Brazil's last World Cup victory in 2002, was the proudest man in the Maracana on Sunday as his remodeled team overwhelmed the fabled Spaniards 3-0 courtesy of two goals from Fred and a sublime effort from Neymar.

With the World Cup on Brazilian soil less than 12 months away, it was a result which will infuse Scolari's team with belief that a record sixth World Cup crown is there for the taking if all goes to plan next year.

A delighted Scolari however was more circumspect when asked to discuss the significance of his team's mesmerising display.

"We are still not a team that is complete, we know that we have a good group but we still have to prove a lot. But today, we embarked on the path to 2014," said Scolari, reappointed seven months ago for a second stint in charge.

"It was fantastic to hear the crowd singing 'the champions are back' but a long path stretches ahead of us. Yet I am sure people will now respect Brazil a little more."

"In the past 30 days we have beaten four former world champions in France (in a pre-event tune-up), Italy, Uruguay and now Spain," he remarked matter of factly.

Brazil began the tournament with the words of Pele ringing in their ears, with the legendary No 10 questioning whether Scolari's team were good enough to prevail.

Almost as important as the level of performance on the pitch was the re-bonding of Brazil's team with their fans, Scolari said.

"My team pay from the bottom of their hearts. We will now be working with a little bit more trust knowing we have the capacity and maybe rise above the level even of today's match," he told reporters, explaining he just wants "to set up a competitive team which can go for the title at the World Cup."

"I think we are improving, there is more trust and the supporters give it back and that is very nice. When we come together we become strong.

"Apart from the quality of all of our players we had the crowd behind us and I believe that is very important, that unity, that spirit.

The extent to which Brazil now can use the intervening 12 months to oil an even leaner machine in time for their first World Cup hosting since 1950 will be of fascination to students of the international game.

Back to the drawing board for Spain

June 16, 2010 and June 30, 2013. The dates bracket an era which came to an end Sunday in Rio for world champions Spain as their 29 competitive matches unbeaten run came to a shattering end in a 3-0 Confederations Cup final loss to exhilarating Brazil.

The Furia Roja had during those three years and two weeks also become the first side in international footballing history to win three straight major tournaments, adding the 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euros to their Euro 2008 success.

The Spanish media lauded a golden era as one which finally proved that Spain are not perennial losers.

But with next year's world title defence a year away it is now back to the drawing board for Vicente del Bosque and company.

Del Bosque admitted Brazil were far better on the day - Spain looked exhausted and out for the count once Fred bundled in a second-minute opener for the hosts before Neymar and Fred again completed a one-sided affair.

"They deserved it, and sometimes it is important to lose," said Del Bosque.

"Of course we are not happy but we must analyse where we went wrong. Yet our record is cause for optimism ... we have good players and a defined style of play.

"You don't just change all that on the back of one defeat, deserved as it was," the former Real Madrid handler calmly observed as he failed to become the first coach to win the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and Confederations titles - he is already alone in landing the first trio of crowns.

"Football is a sport and we knew our opponents were very strong and things went in their favour right from the outset" with Fred's opening goal, said Del Bosque.

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos agreed that "it was one of those days when nothing goes for you. The first goal came very quickly. It was tough to go behind when we had come into the final with such high hopes," said Ramos, whose missed penalty was only one of a myriad of incidents which proved it was a bad day at the office all round.

"We just have to praise our opponents for a great performance, and today we saw the other side of the footballing coin - that you can't always turn it on."

The usually dependable fulcrum of the Spanish side, Andres Iniesta, also had an off day as the Brazilians overran their rivals:

But the future Barcelona teammate of Neymar said: "That's football, you just have to bounce back. They were better and gave us the run around. Next year we'll be back and will hope to do things better."

Despite his teammates' sanguine comments, skipper Iker Casillas said he was down, with Spain having failed to land a title missing from their collection.

"The defeat hurts. We can only say well done Brazil and get back up off the canvas."

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, sent off midway through the second half for a foul on Neymar, said afterwards there was one positive to take from his evening.

"Neymar is a brilliant player. I'm just glad he will be playing for us next season," Pique said.

Spain will return to win WCup - Torres

Spain's 3-0 reverse to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final was a mere "blip" and they will be back in Brazil next year confidently chasing a second straight World Cup triumph, according to forward Fernando Torres.

The Spanish had a miserable night at a festive Maracana stadium on Sunday, as Sergio Ramos missed a second-half penalty and Gerard Pique was sent off with just over 20 minutes left for bringing down his new Barcelona teammate Neymar.

The defeat ended Spain's record run of 29 unbeaten competitive matches going back to a 1-0 loss to Switzerland at the 2010 World Cup and Torres said it served as a useful reminder that "you can't win all the time".

"Everybody thinks that Spain should win every match and reach every final but it's not as easy as that," the Chelsea striker, who won the tournament's Golden Shoe award, said on Fifa.com.

"This team doesn't need a wake-up call, nor do we need a defeat to regain our motivation," he added.

"If there is something positive to be taken from the match, it's this: it's confirmed something that we already knew, that it's not going to be easy to beat Brazil on their own patch.

"That said, in one year's time we'll be back here as world champions to defend what's ours."

Sunday's match in Rio de Janeiro turned in the 41st minute when Brazil centre back David Luiz slid in to conjure an incredible goal-line clearance and deny Pedro an equaliser.

Three minutes later, Neymar, voted player of the tournament, smashed a left-foot drive past Iker Casillas and when Fred netted his second of the night and Brazil's third early in the second period, there was no way back for Spain.

NOT MACHINES

"We must congratulate Brazil because they showed that they know how to play against Spain," Ramos told reporters.

"We have won a lot of important titles and one day, the moment has to arrive when you don't win," the Real Madrid defender added.

"We aren't machines. Our conscience is clear because we gave the best we had."

Spain top European World Cup qualification Group I by a point from France after five matches and play their remaining three games away to Finland in September and at home to Belarus and Georgia in October.

Securing a place at next year's finals should be a formality and Torres said the players were already looking forward to another crack at Brazil.

"Football is great for that, because you always get another chance," he said.

"One year from now, hopefully we'll be here and have a chance to make up for today, not necessarily to gain revenge on Brazil, but for our own sake.

"We're world champions and two-time European champions and have achieved something that no other team has ever done: won three major tournaments in a row.

"Next year we're coming over here to make it four.

Webb agrees with goal-line technology

Referees have full confidence in football's goal-line technology, which will be used at the 2014 World Cup, leading match official Howard Webb said on Monday.

None of the 68 goals scored at the Confederations Cup needed the technology, which was being used for the first time at an international tournament.

But Webb told reporters in Rio de Janeiro that the "reassurance the system gives us is a big benefit" and referees had full confidence in the technology provided by German company GoalControl.

"We have no concerns about the reliability of the systems," he said.

Ruling whether a ball had crossed the goal-line or not "has not been really taken out of our hands but the fact that it has given us some more certainty is a great positive," Webb said.

GoalControl seemed likely to get the backing of the world governing body Fifa to use its system at the World Cup.

"It worked well, so if something is working well, why would you change it?" Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke asked.

Webb, who was in charge of the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands, is one of 52 referees pre-selected for the 2014 World Cup.

The English referee described his second Confederations Cup after 2009 in South Africa as "a positive experience" and praised the high sportsmanship and open play experienced in Brazil, where the home team took the trophy Sunday 3-0 against Spain.

"The players need to take credit for the way they have approached these games," he said.

Five teams in hunt to join Argentina

Argentina booked their World Cup ticket with a 5-2 rout of Paraguay on Tuesday, leaving five other countries jockeying for three automatic South American places and one playoff berth.

Colombia, in second place in the nine-nation group, needed a mere point on Tuesday but it eluded them in a 2-0 defeat by Uruguay, who visit Ecuador next month for what looks like being a straight clash for the fourth automatic berth.

Chile, who had a bye and drew 2-2 with World Cup holders Spain in a friendly, are in third place two points ahead of Ecuador and Uruguay with outsiders Venezuela hovering in sixth and hoping for a slip up from their rivals.

Argentina's Lionel Messi, who scored two penalties in the win over Paraguay, said it was good for his country to have qualified but there was still a lot of work to do if they wanted to win the World Cup next year.

"There are seven matches (to win) a World Cup and you've got to be 100 percent, you can't make a mistake or you'll remain out of it," he told reporters.

"We have passed tough tests, beating some top teams but there's a long way to go to becoming world champions, we still lack some things," added Messi, whose goals in Asuncion made him joint top scorer in the nine-nation group with Uruguay's Luis Suarez on 10.

Striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has nine goals, was suspended but Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Maxi Rodriguez also got on the scoresheet for coach Alejandro Sabella's team.

Suarez, having scored twice in Friday's 2-1 win in Peru, failed to find the net on Tuesday at the Centenario, where fellow striker Edinson Cavani - with his second goal in three qualifiers - and Cristian Stuani were the scorers.

Coach Oscar Tabarez's substitutions, bringing on Stuani and midfielder Gaston Ramirez, helped unlock the Colombia defence in the final quarter of an hour.

"We were looking to give the team the means to better control Colombia and try to create problems for them," Tabarez told the post-match news conference.

"If Colombia had gone ahead, then it would have been tough because of their good ball control. I think the (first) goal practically ended their hopes."

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said he thought Uruguay would make it through to Brazil and again be a strong challenger, as they were when they finished fourth at the last World Cup.

"Uruguay will again have the level they had in South Africa and in the (2011) Copa America," the Argentine told reporters.

"They have that category of great players but also a spirit and fortitude they always put to the test."

The Atahualpa, at 2 800 metres above sea level in Quito, will be a tough venue for Uruguay to try and secure a direct passage to the finals but they have won there in the past when facing possible elimination.

Ecuador could have been far more comfortable but dropped two points in a 1-1 draw against eliminated Bolivia in La Paz.

Both Ecuador and Uruguay are three points ahead of Venezuela, who have only one match left at home to Paraguay on October 11.

Venezuela have to hope one of Uruguay and Ecuador fail to pick up any more points if they are to sneak into a playoff against Asian qualifiers Jordan for a shot at their first trip to the finals.

England plod on towards samba party

England remain on course to qualify for next year's World Cup finals but the tedious nature of their 0-0 draw in Kiev on Tuesday did little to suggest they will bring much fun to the party.

New FA chairman Greg Dyke caused a stir last week when he pretty much dismissed England's chances of success in south America next year and the boring draw against Ukraine offered little to contradict him.

Captain Steven Gerrard endorsed manager Roy Hodgson's view that England "got the job done" by avoiding defeat and so remaining in control of their Group H destiny.

However, England's fans were unlikely to spend Wednesday chatting excitedly about solid defending, gutsy draws or honest endeavour.

England, as expected, set out their stall not to lose and, in that respect, it was mission accomplished but the fear remains that these days, against even half-decent sides such as Ukraine, that is the sum of the team's ambition.

So far in the qualifying process England's only victories have come against San Marino and Moldova with their other four matches being drawn.

Already there appears to be a presumption that England will beat Montenegro and Poland at home next month to seal their place among the 32 nations heading to Brazil, but it could be a dangerous one, given the obvious limitations of the squad.

In mitigation, Hodgson was without Wayne Rooney against Ukraine while strikers Daniel Sturridge (injured) and Danny Welbeck (suspended) were unavailable.

However, Sturridge and Welbeck are hardly established internationals and the fact that their absence is so keenly felt underlines the paucity of attacking flair available to Hodgson when he sits down to select his squads.

MISSED CHANCE

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, of whom one television commentator said last week against Moldova: "When he goes down injured a nation holds its breath", was virtually invisible against Ukraine where the stage was set for him to take a game by the scruff of the neck in the way Paul Gascoigne once did.

James Milner offered honest graft while 35-year-old Frank Lampard, who was earning his 100th cap and missed a late chance, was single-paced and often peripheral alongside Gerrard.

In attack, Rickie Lambert was forced to feed off scraps and will probably be relieved to get back to Southampton whose creative department offer far more than England's.

Former England striker Gary Lineker, now working as a television presenter, was at a loss to explain 90 minutes of "action" miles away from the high-octane play served up at Premier League grounds up and down the country every week.

"What happens to some of these players when they pull on an England shirt?" Lineker asked.

British newspapers seemed undecided whether to applaud the team for a gutsy rearguard action in Kiev or bemoan the lack of quality on display.

The Daily Mail's back page said England's hopes of winning the group were "on a knife edge" and described the evening's display as toothless.

"Dull England labour the point" was the headline on the back of the Times which suggested that England's "angst-ridden" qualifying campaign was not a foregone conclusion.

The Telegraph summed up the mood with the headline: "Road to Nowhere".

England should, and probably will, gain the points they need from the next two matches at Wembley to join the samba party next year but few will expect them to illuminate the tournament with the quality of their football.

"If they intend playing as wretchedly as this in Brazil, they would be well-advised to keep their cars in short-stay (parking) at Heathrow and keep the engines running," wrote the Telegraph's football correspondent.

"On this dispiriting evidence, England won't get the ball off the kids on Copacabana beach, let alone Spain or Brazil.

Nkana eye top of the table

Nkana have a great opportunity to go top of the FAZ Super League table on Wednesday when they visit Roan United.

The two teams clash in a rescheduled Week 16 fixture at Kafubu Stadium in Luanshya. Second placed Nkana head into the game just one point behind leaders Zesco United on 36 and 37 points after 17 and 19 games played respectively.

An away win at sixth placed Roan, who have 30 points from 19 games, will see Nkana go two points clear at the summit of the table before the league takes a week-long break to make way for Barclays Cup quarterfinal action this Saturday.

And Nkana’s away record makes interesting reading where they have yet to lose a league game since 2008.

However, Roan seems to be holding their own so far in their last two games despite the departure of ex-coach Bruce Mwape for Konkola Mine Police FC. Roan have already shocked Nkwazi and Nchanga Rangers with wins in their last two home games and could fancy a chance of extending their current good home form to four successive matches.

Furthermore, Nkana have failed to pick up an away win since beating Nkwazi 1-0 in Lusaka on June 1. Meanwhile, coach Masausto Mwale is back from Zambia bench duty and so there are great expectations that Nkana will return to Kitwe with the three points.