START OF MATCH; PLAY IN PROGRESS; PLAY FINISHES.




Initials PK/VS/CT/BB


SPORT: SOCCER

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Brazil, playing the type of striking football that won them two world championships, seized the initiative and went on to beat England 2-1 in the final match of England's Latin American tour on Thursday (12 June). The match, at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, drew a crowd of about 140,000.

The two teams ran on the field accompanied by a great rear from the crowd and the sound of firecrackers bursting.

England moved into attack from the kick-off and matched the Brazilian players' speed with precision ball movement.

Brazil, returning the attack, had the Britons worried with clever forward play.

England's goalkeeper Banks brilliantly stopped a penalty kick from Carlos Alberto that looked like opening the Brazilians' scoring.

England took a shock lead in the thirteenth minute. Brazilian goalkeeper Gilmar kept out a shot by Peters. Bell then took charge of a cross from Peters, and easily shot past the Brazilian goalkeeper.

The Brazilians came back with even greater pressure on the England forwards. Pele get in a dangerous shot but just missed the corner of the goal.

The pace of the game began to slow, but then suddenly in the 79th minutes, the Brazilian were rewarded when Testes scored from a scramble in front of the goal.

Two minutes later, they scored again when Jairzinho turned in a hard cross from Gerson. There was little England could do as the Brazilians retained possession for the final few minutes.