U.S. Plays Brazil Tonight; Mexico, Egypt Tie

U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller is preparing for “one of those special nights” and says he is not expecting a repeat performance. Coach Bruce Arena says, “We don’t have fear, we have great respect.”

Both are referring to tonight’s United States-Brazil game at the fourth FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico.

The last time the countries met on the soccer field--in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the L.A. Coliseum early in 1998--the Americans earned a 1-0 upset behind the stellar play of Keller.

“We’ll try to do on offense what we didn’t do last time [against the U.S.],” said 19-year-old Brazilian star Ronaldinho, who is grabbing the limelight in the absence of such standouts as Ronaldo, Cafu, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos, who are not playing.

In tonight’s other Group B match in Guadalajara, Germany takes on New Zealand.

Meanwhile, in Group A games Tuesday night, Mexico gave up two goals in the final 11 minutes and was tied, 2-2, by Egypt in front of 65,000 fans at Azteca Stadium. The Mexicans, who could have clinched first place in the group and a semifinal berth with a victory, took the lead on a goal by Pavel Pardo in the 15th minute. Jose Manuel Abundis doubled Mexico’s advantage 11 minutes later, but Egypt came back to tie with goals in the 79th and 85th minutes.

In the other game, Saudi Arabia held Bolivia to a scoreless tie in Mexico City.