Capello watches as an under-strength England are outplayed [GALLO/GETTY]

"Expect amazing" was the message hung from the lamposts on the long road to Khalifa Stadium in Qatar ahead of this lucrative match in the tiny Arabian Gulf state.

And while no international friendly can have been staged with more bombast, the game failed to live up to the standards of the showbiz.

Financial incentives aside, the two teams were here as they prepare for the World Cup in South Africa next year.

Qatar wanted them here because it intends to stage its own finals in 2022.

The Qataris will be more confident of that outcome after Saturday's match. What England and Brazil can take out of it is uncertain.

The South Americans had an easy time against an England side featuring only two first-team regulars in Wayne Rooney and Gareth Barry.

But Terry, watching from the sidelines after being ruled out with an achilles injury, said afterwards that a full-strength England could challenge the best.

'Frighten any team'

"Brazil have got individual quality, they can frighten any team," said the Chelsea defender.

"That's why they're probably the best team in the world at the moment.

"We're giving them a lot of credit tonight and I think the match had 'friendly' written all over it from the start.

"But I don't think they're really anything to worry about.

"They're a very good side, I'm not saying they're not.

"But we have to look at our own strengths and qualities and I think we can mix it with the best sides in the world."

England coach Fabio Capello said he was happy to have looked at the "value" of his reserves as his much-changed side struggled to contain Kaka, Nilmar and Elano.

Stand-in captain Rooney was lively and forceful as England's go-to man, but will need better support than he got here if he is to fulfil his potential as one of the world's top strikers.

Wingers Shaun Wright-Phillips and James Milner impressed in fits and starts.

Livewire

But Manchester United defender Wes Brown looked like he was out to prove he shouldn't play at right-back as he did a terrible job of shackling Brazil's livewire striker Nilmar, who had already got the better of Brown several times before opening the scoring within a minute of the second half.

Nilmar then linked up with Brown again to create what should have been Brazil's second.

Another floated ball into the box was chested by Brown vaguely in the direction of Foster, allowing Nilmar to steal in.

Foster could do nothing but bring him down and receive a lenient yellow card before Luis Fabiano spooned the penalty high over the bar.

Capello was looking a broken man at this stage. His mood can't have been improved as Jermaine Jenas knocked a promising set play well beyond the sprinting Milner to concede a goal kick.

Half chances

England created several half chances in the second half through substitutes Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch - although Lucio crashed a 25-yard effort against Foster's post.

Terry added that the 26C heat had made things hard for England.

"Even in training on Thursday and Friday the coach was stressing that we needed to press more," he said.

"The players were saying, 'we'd love to'. But it's difficult."

Brazil will feel they earned the $6 million they took from this match, while England just about warranted their $600,000 haul.
 
As for Qatar, a huge task in persuading world governing body Fifa that they will be fit to host a World Cup in 2022 will be made slightly less daunting by their slick staging on Saturday.

The floodlights were switched off for the buildup show, made more spectacular by fans hurling their free glowsticks down from the stands onto the heads of supporters below them. Looked nice, but possibly not in the plan.

When the big screens focused on fans holding up the letters of the word "Brasil", they might have also wanted to check the last two letters were in place.

But the packed 50,000-seater stadium had genuine excitement and atmosphere. At least until the start of play.