Luis Fabiano scored twice and Lucio added the match-winner in the 84th, helping Brazil overcome a two-goal halftime deficit to edge the United States, 3-2, in the FIFA Confederations Cup final Sunday.
Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan scored in the opening 27 minutes for the U.S., which stunned world No. 1 Spain in the semifinals 2-0, but the Americans failed to hold on against the five-time World Cup winners at Ellis Park Stadium.
Fabiano scored his first goal just seconds after half, added his second in the 74th and Lucio sealed the Brazilians' second straight Confederations Cup title, and third overall.
The U.S., which was unbeaten in 96 straight matches when leading at half since 1993 entering the tournament, lost for the second time in the tournament after leading at half. The Americans led Italy 1-0 in the group stage, but with just 10 men allowed three second-half goals in a 3-1 loss.
The Americans, playing in their first FIFA final, dropped to 1-14-0 all-time against Brazil. The Brazilians extended their winning streak to eight, and are unbeaten in their last 16.
The U.S. continued its inspired play from the Spain upset, with Dempsey getting the first scoring opportunity just three minutes into the match against Brazil. Dempsey picked out the left side from a few yards outside the box but shot just wide.
Brazil's Kaka, who just made a $92 million switch from Italy's AC Milan to Real Madrid in Spain, countered in the seventh off a pass from Robinho, but headed wide of the near post.
The Americans responded with Dempsey and right back Jonathan Spector combining for another goal. Spector delivered the cross to set up Dempsey's goal against Spain, and picked out the Fulham midfielder again in the 10th against Brazil.
Spector's pass found Dempsey between two defenders on the right side of the box and with Brazilian captain Lucio just steps behind him, Dempsey made a first- time volley to get a slight touch on the ball. His twisting shot was perfectly placed and sailed past Brazil goalie Julio Cesar and just inside the left post.
Dempsey's goal put Brazil behind for the first time in the tournament, but the South American giants used the deficit as a wake-up call. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard used it as another chance to show his world-class ability.
Robinho was the first to test Howard, firing an 18-yard shot toward the right post, but the Everton goalie dove to knock the shot wide.
The U.S. managed another scoring chance in the 14th, when Charlie Davies won a free kick on the right edge of the area. Donovan's free kick was cleared, but a pair of ensuing corners were nearly converted by Carlos Bocanegra and Dempsey, respectively.
The Brazilians quickly regained most of the possession, but were mainly passing the ball around outside the top of the 18. Felipe Melo, who scored in Brazil's 3-0 group stage win over the U.S., finally sneaked a shot through traffic that Howard handled. Kaka and Maicon followed with a solid give-and-go combination that ended with Howard denying Maicon at the near post.
Howard's save on Maicon resulted in a corner, but the U.S. used it to counter for its second goal. American midfielder Ricardo Clark got the ball at the top of the 18 and made a fast outlet to Donovan, who showed his class on the break.
Donovan streaked down the middle of the field before dropping a pass off to the left to Davies, who threaded a return pass to Donovan in the middle. The U.S. star made a quick touch to cut back left against Brazil's Ramires, then took a left-footed shot that, with Cesar going the wrong way, rolled inside the right post in the 27th.
Brazil looked a little anxious after falling behind 2-0, the first time in the teams' history the Americans held a two-goal lead, but Brazilian defender Andre Santos tested Howard again in the 34th and was denied at the post. Fabiano had a chance off the ensuing corner, but his header was over the bar.
Robinho forced Howard to make another save in the 41st, but the U.S. goalie did well to touch the ball over the bar. The U.S. survived one last chance late in the half, as Maicon's cross was deflected by Bocanegra just enough that it went by a wide-open Fabiano, who was just yards in front of the net.
The United States couldn't stop Fabiano in the second, though, as he scored in less than a minute to change the complexion of the match.
Fabiano took a pass from Ramires and, with American defender Jay DeMerit on his back, turned and sneaked a shot through his legs to beat a diving Howard to the right post.
Brazil began to control the game after trimming the deficit, as Lucio, Gilberto Silva and Kaka had great chances in the next 15 minutes. Howard made two solid saves, denying Lucio and Kaka, the later on a play that may have been a goal.
Kaka put a header on goal from close range on the right in the 60th, and Howard was able deflect the ball up and off the bottom of the crossbar as he was going back into the goal. It appeared the ball crossed the line, but Howard quickly covered up the ball, and no goal was awarded.
The U.S. nearly took advantage, as Donovan tested Cesar in the 65th with a shot to the left post, and Dempsey forced Cesar to punch a shot wide seconds later.
Brazil was back on the attack, though, as Howard denied Fabiano on a breakaway in the 71st, charging off his line to snare a shot just off of the Brazilian's boot, but couldn't deny him again in the 74th.
Brazil was initially denied by the bar again on Kaka's shot but the rebound was to Fabiano on the left and Howard was helpless to stop the shot from just a few yards out.
Kaka and Robinho both had long-range efforts off target in the next 10 minutes, but Lucio finished off the comeback off a corner in the closing minutes. Elano drove the corner from the right side, and Lucio rose at the back post to head home the game-winner from eight yards.
The Americans had one last good chance to force overtime, but central defender Oguchi Onyewu got under a corner from Donovan and headed just over the bar in the 88th.
Fabiano finished as the tournament's leading scorer with five goals. Howard had seven saves against Brazil - following up his impressive eight-save performance against Spain - and was named goalie of the tournament.
The U.S. has just a few days off before the CONCACAF Gold Cup but the Americans will rest most of the Confederations Cup team. The U.S. opens the Gold Cup on July 4, and will reassemble its top team when World Cup qualifying resumes Aug. 12 at Mexico.
