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FORTALEZA, Brazil -- The Confederations Cup has got the final nearly everyone wanted. The World Cup holder against the five-time world champion. The two-time European winners against the tournament host. Spains passing wizards vs. Brazils new star, Neymar. Spain came through an exhausting scoreless 120 minutes and then a penalty-kick shootout 7-6 over Italy in the semifinal Thursday and will face Brazil in Rio de Janeiros Maracana Stadium on Sunday to cap the World Cup warm-up tournament. "I think everybody was waiting for this Confederations Cup final to be Spain vs. Brazil," Spain captain Iker Casillas said. "I think the two teams that deserve to play the final are actually playing it." Jesus Navas scored the decisive penalty kick after a draining match made more difficult by heat and thick humidity. Nobody missed in the shootout until Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci shot over the bar to give Navas an attempt at the winner. The recently signed Manchester City midfielder coolly beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to end a top-class battle and send Spain to another major final. While calling his squad "lucky" to win, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque was not about to concede the final due to fatigue -- even though Spain has one less day of rest than Brazil, which beat Uruguay 2-1 Wednesday. "We have to now consider what we have to do in the three days to recover. And we will definitely stand up to Brazil in the Maracana," the manager said. "The players should feel just as happy as kids playing in the Maracana. They have won a lot, but they want to win in the Maracana. Italys Emanuele Giaccherini hit a post in the 93rd minute and Buffon deflected Xavi Hernandezs kick off a post in the 115th. Those were the best chances in extra time, and then came 12 perfect penalties before Bonucci missed. "We were lucky in the penalty shootout," Del Bosque said. "It was a very difficult match for us. ... It was a marvelous team effort by both teams. It was a clean and sporting match that was played under very difficult climatic conditions." Spain, winner of the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships, went second in the shootout. The 35-year-old Buffon and 32-year-old Casillas, among the worlds elite goalkeepers for more than a decade, exchanged handshakes with English referee Howard Webb before the shootout and then hugged each other. Antonio Candreva, Alberto Aquilani, Daniele De Rossi, Sebastian Giovinco, Andrea Pirlo and Riccardo Montolivo all converted their kicks for the Italians. Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Juan Mata and Sergio Busquets made their kicks for Spain. After Bonucci failed, Buffon dived to his right and Navas sent the kick past his outstretched arm. Spain beat Italy 4-0 in last years Euro final and defeated the Azzurri 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie in the 2008 Euro quarterfinals. "We played a great match. We created and we conceded, but we were always in the match," Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. "Theyre still ahead of us, but were improving. "In these conditions, between absences and fatigue, its nearly impossible to go all the way, but the guys really moved me." Italy, missing injured Mario Balotelli, dominated the first half. Spain, without injured Cesc Fabregas and Roberto Soldado, settled down and bolstered by the second-half insertion of Navas and Mata, wound up with 54 per cent possession and a 19-13 advantage in shots. Italy will face Uruguay in the third-place match in Salvador, also Sunday. Before kickoff, about 5,000 anti-government protesters battled police about 1 mile from the stadium. These were the latest in a series of nationwide protests that have hit Brazil since June 17. Demonstrators, expected to turn out again Sunday, are angered about corruption and poor public services despite a heavy tax burden. 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Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. DURING THE FINAL weekend homestand at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the pressing question for fans seated in Sections 26 and 27 seems to have little to do with which players the Pirates will field next year. Instead, these season-ticket holders are wondering whether Phil Coyne will be on the PNC Park roster in 2017.The ushers answer? If his legs hold out and his mind is clear, Coyne says hell be back.Topping the seniority roster for stadium ushers, Coyne, 98, has escorted fans to their seats since 1936 -- missing time only while serving in World War II -- becoming a Pittsburgh sports legend in the process. Beginning at Forbes Field, then Three Rivers Stadium and now both PNC Park and Heinz Field, Coyne has cleaned countless stadium seats with the dampened rag he carries to the stadium in a blue grocery bag.Coyne, a retired machinist who never married, grew up a stones throw from Forbes Field, where the Pirates played their games in the Oakland section of town from 1909 to 1970.Everyone in Oakland, at that time and well after it, you automatically became an usher, Coyne says. So, when I was 18 and out of high school, I got on as an usher and then every year you just went.When will it be time to stop going? As long as your mind is straight, youre all right, and that can go at any time. I could have a fall tomorrow and get a good bump and that would be it. So you never know. You just have to wait until next April to see if your legs are all right and your mind is all right, and you sign up, he says.Theyre hoping to see me back. That goes on every year, says Coyne, who likes to say he has two Oreos and a glass of milk before bed each night. And I surprise them every year, too. I surprise them coming back. I tell people as long as I dont go to Heinz Field for a game thats being played at PNC Park, Ill be back.Usher Phil Coyne, 98, exits the subway on Pittsburghs North Side and walks to PNC Park three hours before game time. Coyne said its about an hour ride from his home to the stadium by public transportation.“I was born and raised in Oakland [Pennsylvania]. When I was 18 and out of high school, you know, I got on as an usher.”Another day at the ballpark: Coyne, who has been a Pirates usher since 1936, gets dressed in the mens locker room.Coyne, a retired machinist, attributes his longevity to luck -- and a late-night snack.“Two Oreos and a glass of milk going to bed. Thats what I always tell them, but its luck.”Its no surprise to learn that Coynes colleagues are all much younger than him -- but there are some who worked with him as far back as the Forbes Field years.Coyne, making sure the suds are ready for the days game, says he used to talk shop (in a sandwich shop) with longtime Pirates player and manager Danny Murtaugh, who died in 1976.Coyne does a walk-through of his sections before games, making sure everything is top-notch before the gates open and fans arrive. Perhaps his favorite fan of all time? His mother, whom he brought to a World Series game in 1960 -- though she didnt exactly enjoy it.“In 1960 for the World Series, employees were able to get two tickets. So I said to Mom, Well, you got to go to the game.”Pirates fan Sharon McCullough of Elwood City, Pennsylvania, greets Cooyne at the ballpark.ddddddddddddBeing a Bucs fan in Coynes neighborhood was mandatory -- and if you werent, well, the punishment was severe.“Yeah, I was always a Pirate fan. You had to be.”Two hours before the game, Coyne, shown rinsing the rag he uses to wipe down seats, would get to play softball at Forbes Field during the employees annual end-of-season picnic.At PNC Park, Coyne keeps all the seats clean and dry and calls the fans well-behaved. It wasnt always that way at Forbes Field.“Theres no way you can get the people off the field. You know, in them days wed go down so people wouldnt jump over the rail.”Coyne visits with Pirates fans Brad and Jamie Bonaroti, who brought their 14-month-old daughter, Kenzie, to the game. Coyne says his interactions with fans are what keep him coming back to the ballpark, year after year.“Sure enough a guy comes ... and he says, Heres your put-me-to-bed, tonight and he gives me a little package of Oreos.”A World War II veteran, Coyne sings along with the national anthem before a game. Hard to believe if youre a scholar of baseball history, but when he first started working as an usher, Hall of Fame brothers Lloyd and Paul Waner were still roaming the outfield.Coyne, of course, was at the ballpark for Bill Mazeroskis legendary walk-off home run against the Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 Fall Classic.“The place went wild! I just walked away from it. I mean, there was nothing we could do.”Coyne keeps a smile on his face -- you never know when he might end up on television (or in an ESPN.com photo, for that matter), which he often does.Coyne, laughing with fans Gabby DePasquale, left, and Erin Verni, considers many of the longtime Pirates punters in his section part of his family. Some even followed him from Forbes Field to PNC Park.“We were over at Three Rivers and the section I had, I had them for a long, long time. You know, we were all family.”Phil CoyneAfter being hit by a foul ball, Tammy Shook of Cumberland, Maryland, is handed the ball by Coyne. Coyne has been at the ballpark a lot more since he retired; back when he worked in a machine shop, it was more of a weekend gig.Coyne watches Pirates fans sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch. You can be sure theyre sitting (or standing) in the right spot; the experienced usher knows how to deal with fans whove gotten, um, lost.“I dont know why youre sitting down here. In this section here, they give free beer all night!”Coyne walks through the corridors at PNC Park. He has seen a few stadiums come and go. These days, he doesnt see as many players off the field as he used to.Coyne says everybody stayed in their seats when the great Ralph Kiner came to bat -- regardless of the score or the inning.What does Coyne do in the winter? Hes got family -- and football -- to help him count down the days until spring.“Oh, I keep busy ...”Coyne heads back home after a long night at the game. Hell be back again -- as long as his body (and mind) can still carry him.“As long as your mind is straight, youre all right. ... I surprise them every year, too.” ' ' '