Confederates Cup 3rd Place play-off – Spain 3 South Africa 2
Despite Spain not being able to get to the final of the Confederates Cup in South Africa, they had everything to play for today against the hosts South Africa. Both teams met mid-afternoon to determine 3rd and 4th positions in this years Confederates Cup.
Having previously met before, would this be a repeat of Spain’s earlier 2-0 victory or were South Africa looking to seek some revenge and steal 3rd spot. Predictions were on Spain to win this game but after an unpredictable defeat to the USA, anything can happen in football.
The first half was goalless and fairly evenly spread with both teams having their share of the possession and shots on goal. The second half was thankfully more eventful as Spain seemed to have come out of the break fresher and faster in attack. However, it was South Africa’s number 9 (Mphela) who got the breakthrough by scoring the first goal after 70 minutes after some nice passing movement.
Spain left thier equaliser to the 88th minute when substitute Guiza fired home from the six yard box. A minute later, Guiza scored what looked to be the winner when he curled in a brillant attempt.
The match had yet to provide as Mphela equalised once agian after a superb free-kick that had Casillas helpless.
Extra time it was then. The first half of extra time was goalless once again. Although Spain had good grounds to appeal for a penalty after the ball clearly struck a South Africa arm in the six yard box. Referee deemed it ball to hand though. Liverpool’s Xavi Alonso scored Spain’s 3rd goal and the winner from a free-kick after 107 minutes of play. Full match report here
Cesc was on the Spainish bench and was unused during the match. 
Congrats Spain on 3rd place, even if we expected more!
I have added 3 new photos of Cesc with Puyol while on the subs bench during the 3rd place play-off and the entire Spanish squad with their medals in the latest photos section
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Hi,
I really inlove with Fabregas. And on this latest pictures Puyol and Cesc are really cute 
:)
I’m from Bulgaria. I’m sorry Cesc didn’t play in this game
PS: I can’t speak English very well and I hope have any mistakes
:)
Sisi
June 30, 2009
Alice- I think he will probably go to Spain and stay wih his family for a while.Either that or he may go on holiday (we will post up pics if he does when we come across them) I think Arsenal start training again sometime in July so he won’t have that much time off.
He was really sad?
Then maybe he was told that he wouldn’t be participating in the match by del bosque. 
Never mind Cesc. Chin up and you will get in next time.
Deena- that’s just tabloid talk. I wouldn’t believe anything until Wenger confrims that he made a bid.
Plu
June 29, 2009
Thank yoy very much Plu
Gunel
June 29, 2009
the spain game was very good , breath taking to be honest … good for them
cesc even didnt warm up with the subs during the half time , i think del bosque made it clesr in one way or another that cesc wasnt a part of his plan to win the match , anyway , he looked miserable indeed when he was sitting there all by himself during the halftime , usuallly the subs go to the dressing room during the half timeand then warm up for a while ,cesc didnt go to the dressing room nor warm up , he looked too sad too when he was getting his medal , i think a bad day for him although sapin won .
cesc wears a ring in his left hand which his girlfriend carla gave to him in his first birthday together , he met her after three weeks when he first arrived to arsenal and they have been together since then . cute
i dont think brazil will be #1 , just dont see that coming …
ok , was what i read in the last couple of days correct or it was just my imagination ??? wenger wants to buy benzema from lyon and ready to pay 35 millions for him ?? and another surprise ,, he made a shocking bid for ribery to get him from bayern for 40 millions ???? was me or him – wenger – the one who lost his mind ?
anyone heard of that too ???
GO GUNNERS
Deena
June 29, 2009
And now? he will fly to London? He will rest in Barcelona?
alice
June 29, 2009
Meme, yes i think everyone saw Cesc sitting alone. I don’t think that he finished warming up earlier than the others, all i know is that he was really sad..sad and sad, this word stuck in my head yesterday( and i can’t wait to see him playing again.
it seems like puyol was teasing cescy on tht ring of his..which carla gave him>>> my friend said that Puyol was teasing him because he was not playing, like “oh, look at Casorla, he is better than u
” but i know she was kidding)anyway, whatever they were doing, it looked funny.
Tonight is U-21 final. good luck for THEO & KIERAN>>> yeah, wish them good luck)
forgetmenot
June 29, 2009
hey Meme..yea i saw tht part aswell..n when i saw my cescy so sad..i was like what happened hun..y so serious??aww n seriosuly tht hugging thing happened with me too:) guess hes jus too irresistible:P:P lol!
somi
June 29, 2009
Plu thanks:) yes i know they do warm ups at halftime but i didnt think about that yesterday
but anyway he looked sad (unfortunately)
Meme
June 29, 2009
Hi Gunel.:) Yes. Cesc’s ring was a present from Carla. He mentioned it in an interview once I think.
Meme-The subs normally stay out at half time and do some warm ups, so that would be why Cesc wasn’t inside at half time. I have no idea why he was the only one sitting on the bench though…maybe he finished warming up early or something…
Fati- Yes. USA played so well! I haven’t watched them much so I was surprised at how good they were.I really wanted them to win.
I don’t know about the ranking. Do you know when they update the ranks? I checked on their webiste and the rankings were last updated on june 3rd in which Spain were first place.
Plu
June 29, 2009
Hi guys! Is his ring a reaally gift from Carla?
Gunel
June 29, 2009
Congratulatinons to Spain,yes it was exciting, but unfortunately cesc didnt play
in the halftime the tv channel showed Cesc and he was just sitting there outside where the substitutes sit and nobody was there just Cesc, and he looked so cute but really sad and i just wanted to hug him because he looked so lonely…and the team didnt come out yet just after a few minutes . and it was very strange, because it looked like he didnt go in the dressing room ,or i dont no…
has anybody seen it?
Meme
June 29, 2009
The match was good especially those 2 goals of Guiza was very interesting but about Cesc…He didn`t play so we should wait for one month to see him on the pitch again.I can`t wait
(Mphela was really good player.wasn`t he?)
I saw the final match too , Brazil had a hard game against USA. USA scored their first goal on 10th minute (Dempsey scored that goal. a player who scored second goal against Spain
) Then Donovan (number 10! 
) scored the second goal on 27th minute and until the end of the first half Brazil couldn`t do any thing. USA defence was brilliant!! in the second half Fabiano scored their first goal on the first minute.Fabiano also scored Brazil`s second goal & at last Lucio(Brazil`s captain, like Cescy in Arsenal 
) scored the third goal & unfortunately Brazil beat USA & they became champion. Probably Brazil will be the first team in FIFA ranking with this championship & Spain will be second 
Tonight is U-21 final. good luck for THEO & KIERAN
Oh… forgive me! This comment is so long!
Fati
June 29, 2009
If Cesc played Spain was gonna win easy
, but he didn’t so…
Anyway congrads to Spain, but i expected more!!!
On3 wAy
June 28, 2009
Congratulations to Spain. This match sounds like it was pretty exciting. I wish Cesc had played though.
Those pics of Cesc and Puyol are really cute. ^^
Plu
June 28, 2009
omg..this was such a breathe takin match..lol!my heart was literaly in my mouth..haha!!n i culd c how much frustrated my cescy was:( y didnt he use him as a substitute??firstly..he shud hv been in da first 11..but he wasnt so there was one hope tht he will b used as a subs..but it also did not happen..my heart was broken!!lol but congratz Spain for being in the top 3 atleast!!
oh n those 2 pictures of cescy n puyol r so adorable..it seems like puyol was teasing cescy on tht ring of his..which carla gave him..awww n hes all blushin too..lol!!:D:D:D:D kisses to my cescy!!
somi
June 28, 2009
I was very nervous during the game, anyway I’m happy for Spain. btw, it seems to me that Cesc was a bit sad, or something like that. We saw him smiling with Puyol and after that he became totally sad, dadn’t he? or it is just my imagination..
Alonso was awesome with his goal.
forgetmenot
June 28, 2009