Ronaldo Helps Brazil Win 2-0

Brazil beat Germany 2-0 in the final at Yokohama, Japan. Ronaldo scored the both the goals, first at 67thminute and the second at 79th minute,

Although both Brazil and Germany were each playing in a record-tying seventh final, this was the first timethey were meeting in the World Cup. With this victory, Brazil's record in the finals now improves to 5-2,while Germany's goes down to  3-4

Underdogs to win the Cup this time due to their bad run in the Cup qualifiers, the Brazilians showed aconsistent improvement in the tournament and the supporters the world over would testify that the final winwas well deserved.

Germany through Jens Jeremies came close to scoring in the opening minutes of the second half that openedwith Bazil and Germany locked 0-0, but Jen's header was blocked by Edmilson's boot as the rain fell on theYokohama International Stadium.

And then again, Brazil keeper Marcos touched a booming  freekick from 35 yards by Oliver Neuville asthe Germans almost took the lead four minutes after the interval.

The 69,029 crowd was still waiting for a goal after 56 minutes when things first seemed to go Brazil's way.A cross from Samba Roberto Carlos was met by Gilberto Silva but keeper Oliver Kahn managed to smother andSilva poked the rebound wide with Germany's ace goalkeeper Kahn obstructing his path to goal. Germany'sDietmar Hamann then smacked a drive over the bar to leave

But all this tarrying and passing, passing again, and the endless freekicks and corners were to change. AndRonaldo was the one to score. How his magic works was best seen in the 67th minute of the play -- theBrazilian captain went for the kill, charging onto Germany goalkeeper Kahn, but it was Rivaldo shot the ballstraight into Kahn's clasp.

And then the magic happened. Kahn spilled the ball and Ronaldo came out of nowhere, as if, shooting theball into the net. The crowd went ecstatic. Ronaldo's goal #7 of the tournament.

Ronaldo was to strike once again for his  goal #8 of the tournament at 79th minute of the play.Kleberson crossed from the right, Rivaldo let the ball carry and Ronaldo drove home for his eighth goal of thetournament, the second of the match which put Brazil 2-0 up, with 11 minutes left.

Team changes

Ronaldinho returned to Brazil's starting lineup, while Jens Jeremies replaced suspended Michael Ballack on theGerman team.

Suspended for the 1-0 semifinal victory over Turkey, Ronaldinho was back to complete the "Three Rs"attacking formation that had scored 13 of Brazil's 16 goals upto the final.

Ronaldo, who plays in Italy for Inter Milan, went into the game as the championship's top scorer with six,followed by teammate Rivaldo on five.

On the German lineup, Miroslav Klose also had five goals but hadn't scored since the opening round of groupgames.

Ballack was missing in action, having collected a second yellow card in the knockout phase of the competition.The caution came just four minutes before he scored Germany's winner in a 1-0 semifinal victory over co-hostSouth Korea.

Brazilian captain Cafu was the first player to take part in three World Cup finals in a row.

Brazil: 1-Marcos, 2-Cafu (captain), 3-Lucio, 4-Roque Junior, 5-Edmilson, 6-Roberto Carlos, 8-Gilberto Silva,9-Ronaldo, 10-Rivaldo, 11-Ronaldinho,
15-Kleberson.

Germany: 1-Oliver Kahn (captain), 2-Thomas Linke, 5-Carsten Ramelow, 7-Oliver Neuville, 8-Dietmar Hamann, 11-MiroslavKlose, 16-Jens Jeremies, 17-Marco Bode, 19-Bernd Schneider, 21-Christoph Metzelder, 22-Torsten Frings

Referee: Pierluigi Collina, Italy