Italy looked unimaginative and ineffective throughout the first half against Brazil, and when the floodgates opened the Samba Boys capitalised big time. Luis Fabiano picked up Maicon?s wayward shot in the box and fired a low drive into Buffon?s far post to open after 37 minutes. Two minutes from the break Luis Fabiano applied the finishing touch to double Brazil?s lead from a Kaka cross, and Italy?s creaking defence were fully exposed when Andrea Dossena turned a third into the Azzurri?s net on the stroke of halftime.
