Britain, Brazil set exhibition

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LONDON -- Britain's men's Olympic soccer team will play an exhibition against Brazil as it prepares for a first appearance at the Summer Games in 52 years.

Stuart Pearce's team takes on Brazil on July 20 at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium before starting its quest for gold July 26 against Senegal at Manchester United's Old Trafford.

Brazil is a five-time World Cup champion but has never won Olympic gold. Brazil's group stage campaign at the London Games begins against Egypt July 26 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

The Brazil exhibition will be the first time a British Olympic soccer team has played a match since a qualifier in 1971. Because England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete as separate national teams, a British team usually does not enter Olympic qualifying.

Britain's women's team also will play a warmup match, against Sweden July 20 at Riverside Stadium.

Men's soccer in the Olympics is limited to under-23 teams, with each team allowed three players over the age specification. Women's soccer at the Olympics has full national teams.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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