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World Cup: Brazil tops Tanzania, 5-1, while ‘Sepp’ Blatter defends Selecao’s Zimbabwe visit

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Brazil is ready.

The Selecao finished off its warm-up schedule on Monday by thrashing Tanzania, 5-1, at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, where Robinho and Ramires each scored twice and Kaka added a fifth.

The game came a few days after Coach Dunga’s team, second-favorites to win the World Cup behind Spain, had beaten Zimbabwe, 3-0, in Harare. Robinho also scored in that match, as did Michel Bastos and Elano.

The latter game had generated a bit of controversy about whether Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe would take advantage of Brazil’s visit to further publicize himself. He did, by being photographed on the field with the players, including Kaka.

But Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter, FIFA’s vote-courting president, said Monday that he believed it was correct for Brazil to play in Zimbabwe.

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‘You have seen the enthusiasm of the people, and I say connect people through football,’ Blatter said in Johannesburg. ‘I think it was a good idea to go there.’

Brazil opens against North Korea on July 15 and also plays the Ivory Coast and Portugal in the first round.

-- Grahame L. Jones in Johannesburg

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