Wales 0 Brazil 3

Brazil comfortably won in Cardiff against a Wales side who played well in the first half but could not prevent some inventive South American attacks from finding the target in the second session.

None of the 72,500 fans in the enclosed Millenium Stadium paid more than £10 to see Brazilian team and this ensured a full house for the friendly as Wanderley Luxemburgo's side began a two leg UK tour to prepare for 2002 World Cup qualifiers next month.

The Welsh management gave orders before the game for the pitch to be narrowed to eliminate the visitors ability to attack in wide positions.

All the Brazilian forward play was directed through the middle of the pitch and Wales were able to defend their goal well in the first half which ended 0-0.

Manchester United star Ryan Giggs sat out the game with an injury and his team mates were holding out well until debutante goalkeeper Roger Freestone of Swansea City was forced to parry two saves in rapid succession in the 62nd minute and could only deflect the ball into the path of Elber who tapped an easy chance into the net.

The home side then produced a fine attack that saw Charlton Athletic midfielder John Robertson hit a low drive from distance against the Brazilian post with Dida beaten.

Seconds later Brazil scored a second as Cafu finished a sweeping move by firing a screaming volley across Freestone into the far corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Rivaldo completed the scoring in the 72nd minute when he headed in a cross to the neat post from the left. Brazil coach Wanderley Luxemburgo brought on Denilson as a substitute with the game won for his first appearance for the national team for more than eighteen months as his career with Betis in Seville has floundered following a then world record £23 million transfer.

Brazil will find the wide open spaces of the Wembley pitch more to their liking on Saturday afternoon but Wales worked hard to close down the South Americans when they were hardly at their best.