Confed Cup live: AP follows the final day action

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ? The Associated Press is following events in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. The Confederations Cup final between Brazil and Spain starts at 6 p.m. EDT. Follow this live feed for updates:

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PROTEST & POLICE

Brazilian police told AP's Tales Azzoni it would allow people to protest outside Maracana Stadium as long as the demonstrations were peaceful. People without tickets usually are not allowed near the venue in FIFA tournaments, but Maracana sits in a crowded neighborhood and authorities said they would not keep local residents from the venue. A few civil law enforcement officers and an elite police unit were in front of the main entrance, watching the demonstrators. A handful of people were calling for attention to human trafficking, and others complained of Rio de Janeiro hospitals. "We want better conditions in the health services in Rio," said 59-year-old Geralda Ramos, who works at a local hospital. "We need to speak up because the government is not paying attention to us. We need better salaries and better equipment to be able to treat our people."

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SOCCER, TANKS, RIOT GEAR

A crowd of protesters has started to make its way from Saenz Pena, a square not far from central Rio, and is heading for Maracana, says AP's Jenny Barchfield. Once they get near the stadium, they'll find officers in riot gear and tanks awaiting them. If there is going to be a violent standoff, it's likely to occur there.

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ON ALERT

The Confederations Cup has been marked by violent anti-government protests, partly aimed at the high cost of staging next year's World Cup. More are expected for the final day of the Confederations Cup, but no one is quite sure how big they will be. Several thousand police have been put on alert, but as of noon in Rio, only a few hundred people had gathered in the center of the city, according to Barchfield. Outside Maracana Stadium, a handful of protesters held banners saying, "How much is silence worth?"

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DRESSED IN YELLOW

Brazilian fans are already out on the streets in force, many wearing the team's traditional yellow colors. In the country that will host next year's World Cup, soccer is a serious event, and the match against world champion Spain may be one to remember. Brazil's national team has been rebuilding under coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, the same man who led the team to its fifth and last World Cup title in 2002. But the team has so far met Scolari's expectations, winning all four of its matches to reach the final. Spain made it through by beating Italy in a penalty-kick shootout in the semifinals, and could even be considered the underdog since it is playing at Maracana Stadium, Brazil's most renowned soccer venue.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/confed-cup-live-ap-follows-final-day-action-155751891.html

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