Samba Boys sink Azzurri

THREE goals in seven minutes helped Brazil dump world champions Italy out of the Confederations Cup with a convincing victory in Pretoria last night.

Luis Fabiano was the star for the South Americans, scoring twice to set them on their way, before an own goal from Liverpool’s Andrea Dossena in first-half stoppage time sealed an emphatic victory.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and England coach Fabio Capello were just two of the high profile spectators among the 40,000 plus crowd at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium to watch two of world football’s heavyweights clash in a must-win encounter for the Azzurri, who face Ireland in a vital World Cup qualifier in Croke Park in the autumn.