31 July 2002 - They May Have Been Distracted By The Goalkeeper's Shirt

On 31 July 2002, Olimpia overturned a first-leg deficit against São Caetano to win their third Copa Libertadores on penalty kicks.

São Caetano, only two seasons removed from the Brazilian second division, had shocked Olimpia by winning 0-1 in the first leg, played in Ascunción the week before, with the lone goal coming from midfielder Ailton Delfino in the 61st minute. Hosting the second leg in São Paulo, they compounded the shock by again going up 1-0 with another goal from Delfino in the 31st minute.

But, this time, the Paraguayan side fought back. In the 59th minute, midfielder Gastón Córdoba drove a shot across the face of the goal and into the far corner. Then, ten minutes later, forward Richard Báez evened things up with a looping header. The teams remained level for the remainder of the match to force a decision by shootout.

Penalties were familiar to both teams in the tournament, as São Caetano needed them to get past Católica in the Round of 16 and Peñarol in the quarterfinals, while Olimpia used them to advance over Grêmio in the semifinals.

In the final, São Caetano started the shooutout and, after two kicks each, the teams were even at 2-2. But then both midfielder Marlon da Silva and defender Serginho sent their kicks for São Caetano over the bar. With Olimpia then leading 2-3, forward Mauro Caballero blasted his shot right down the middle, beating goalkeeper Silvio Luiz for the win.

2 July 1982 - Not One Of Maradona's Finer Moments

On 2 July 1982, South American titans Brazil and Argentina clashed in the World Cup, with the Brazilians emerging as 3-1 winners in the second round match-up to send the defending champions home.

Meeting in the second round group stage, it was a must-win game for the title-holders, who had already lost their first second-round match to Italy, 2-1. But Brazil quickly took charge of the match, as playmaker Zico scored an 11th-minute goal off a free-kick. Argentina keeper Ubaldo Fillol saved the kick, but the deflected ball hit the bar and fell in the path of Zico, who tapped it home. Striker Serginho (pictured) doubled the lead with a header in the 66th minute, then Júnior added a third goal in the 75th minute.

The tournament ended ten minutes later for Argentina's Diego Maradona, playing in his first World Cup. After a high challenge by Brazilian substitute Batista against Argentina defender Juan Barbas, Maradona kicked Batista in the midsection and was ejected. Despite being down to ten men, however, Argentina striker Ramón Díaz scored an 89th minute consolation goal to end the match at 3-1.

The match eliminated Argentina, but Brazil followed soon after, losing to eventual champions Italy 3-2 in their final match of the second round. Argentina got their revenge in 1990, as they eliminated Brazil in the Round of 16.

4 August 1999 - But Would They Have Beaten France? Probably, Yeah.

On 4 August 1999, host nation Mexico beat Brazil 4-3 in the Confederations Cup Final before a crowd of 110,000 at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. The tournament was the fourth Confederations Cup, which typically includes the winners of the six FIFA confederations (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, and CONCACAF) as well as the World Cup holders and the host country.

For the 1999 tournament, World Cup holders France declined to participate, so World Cup runners-up Brazil filled that slot. Brazil were also CONMEBOL champions, however, so CONMEBOL runners-up Bolivia took that confederation's qualifying spot. Similarly, because CONCACAF champions Mexico qualified as hosts, the United States filled the CONCACAF slot as the second-place team. They were joined by Egypt (CAF champions), Germany (UEFA champions), New Zealand (OFC champions), and Saudi Arabia (AFC champions).

The Final featured a showdown between the tournament's two best players—Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho and Mexican midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Ronaldinho had scored in every match for Brazil, including a 13th-minute gamewinner in their 1-0 win over the United States in the group stage and a hat-trick in their 8-2 demolition of Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals. Similarly, Blanco netted four in Mexico's opening match against Saudi Arabia and scored the 97th-minute golden goal in Mexico's 1-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals.

In the Final, Mexico took a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from midfielder Miguel Zepeda (13') and striker José Manuel Abundis (28'). Brazil pulled one back just before the break when left winger Serginho converted a 43rd-minute penalty kick. Striker Roni then equalized in the 47th minute, but the game did not remain level for long, as Zepeda scored his second in the 51st minute. Blanco added another eleven minutes later, to recapture Mexico's 2-goal lead. It turned out to be the matchwinner, as Brazilian midfielder Zé Roberto completed the scoring with a goal in the 63rd minute.

Blanco and Ronaldinho tied with Saudi Arabia's Marzouq Al-Otaibi for most goals of the tournament at 6 each. And while Blanco helped his team to the title, Ronaldinho earned the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

31 July 2002 - They May Have Been Distracted By The Goalkeeper's Shirt

On 31 July 2002, Olimpia overturned a first-leg deficit against São Caetano to win their third Copa Libertadores on penalty kicks.

São Caetano, only two seasons removed from the Brazilian second division, had shocked Olimpia by winning 0-1 in the first leg, played in Ascunción the week before, with the lone goal coming from midfielder Ailton Delfino in the 61st minute. Hosting the second leg in São Paulo, they compounded the shock by again going up 1-0 with another goal from Delfino in the 31st minute.

But, this time, the Paraguayan side fought back. In the 59th minute, midfielder Gastón Córdoba drove a shot across the face of the goal and into the far corner. Then, ten minutes later, forward Richard Báez evened things up with a looping header. The teams remained level for the remainder of the match to force a decision by shootout.

Penalties were familiar to both teams in the tournament, as São Caetano needed them to get past Católica in the Round of 16 and Peñarol in the quarterfinals, while Olimpia used them to advance over Grêmio in the semifinals.

In the final, São Caetano started the shooutout and, after two kicks each, the teams were even at 2-2. But then both midfielder Marlon da Silva and defender Serginho sent their kicks for São Caetano over the bar. With Olimpia then leading 2-3, forward Mauro Caballero blasted his shot right down the middle, beating goalkeeper Silvio Luiz for the win.

2 July 1982 - Not One Of Maradona's Finer Moments

On 2 July 1982, South American titans Brazil and Argentina clashed in the World Cup, with the Brazilians emerging as 3-1 winners in the second round match-up to send the defending champions home.

Meeting in the second round group stage, it was a must-win game for the title-holders, who had already lost their first second-round match to Italy, 2-1. But Brazil quickly took charge of the match, as playmaker Zico scored an 11th-minute goal off a free-kick. Argentina keeper Ubaldo Fillol saved the kick, but the deflected ball hit the bar and fell in the path of Zico, who tapped it home. Striker Serginho (pictured) doubled the lead with a header in the 66th minute, then Júnior added a third goal in the 75th minute.

The tournament ended ten minutes later for Argentina's Diego Maradona, playing in his first World Cup. After a high challenge by Brazilian substitute Batista against Argentina defender Juan Barbas, Maradona kicked Batista in the midsection and was ejected. Despite being down to ten men, however, Argentina striker Ramón Díaz scored an 89th minute consolation goal to end the match at 3-1.

The match eliminated Argentina, but Brazil followed soon after, losing to eventual champions Italy 3-2 in their final match of the second round. Argentina got their revenge in 1990, as they eliminated Brazil in the Round of 16.