Kaka scores in win over Swiss
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Luisao and Kaka scored a goal each Wednesday, helping Brazil beat Switzerland 2-1 in an international friendly.
Luisao gave Brazil the lead in the 22nd minute St. Jakob's stadium, and Kaka made it 2-0 in the 35th.
The five-time World Cup champions gave one back to Switzerland in the 71st minute when Maicon scored an own-goal.
"Against a big team, this is not such a tragedy, but we would have liked to have finished the year with a good result," Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn said.
The Swiss, who are co-hosting the 2008 European Championship with Austria, qualify automatically for the final tournament.
Brazil started without Ronaldinho, who scored two goals Sunday in FC Barcelona's 3-1 victory over Zaragoza. He entered the game in the 62nd minute for Robinho, who started up front with Kaka.
Still, it was defender Luisao who gave Brazil the lead by knocking in a corner after a marking error by Switzerland's defense.
"It was a good game, but there's a lot to be improved," Dunga said.
Kaka's goal, the result of a goalkeeping error by Pascal Zuberbuehler, showed up Switzerland's lack of experience. The goalkeeper misjudged a pass from Johan Vonlanthen, leaving Kaka standing with the ball in front of an empty goal.
Zuberbuehler has recently been dropped at West Bromwich Albion, a move that prompted fans in Switzerland to demand he be replaced in the national team.
On the other side, Ludovic Magnin swept across the field, tackling and passing wherever he could, and the Swiss looked like they might make up for their lack of skill with sheer energy.
A cross from Ricardo Cabanas in the 69th minute, unluckily deflected into the net by Maicon, gave the hosts a chance for a face-saving draw.
But Switzerland's game was wooden, and Alex Frei failed to make the most of his chances, missing a virtually open goal in the 80th after a free kick from Hakan Yakin.
Brazil goalkeeper Helton took care of any other chances the Swiss had, easily parrying a shot from Tranquillo Barnetta in the 73rd and deftly deflecting an 88th-minute free kick from Yakin, who had come in 15 minutes earlier for Ricardo Cabanas.
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