GOIANIA, Brazil -- Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said Brazils victory over France in its last match before the Confederations Cup has put the team on the right track to win the World Cup warm-up tournament for the third time in a row. Without playing superbly, Brazil showed enough improvement on Sunday in its 3-0 win compared to past matches to end its official preparations for the Confederations Cup on a high note. "We needed this victory," Scolari said. "It gave us more confidence just at the right time." Brazil opens the Confederations Cup against Japan on Saturday in Brasilia, the nations capital. It will then face Mexico and Italy in the group stage. Brazil has won the tournament three times in total: in Saudi Arabia in 1997, in Germany in 2005 and in South Africa in 2009. "This victory is a good first step for us as we approach the Confederations Cup," the coach said. "It shows we have a competitive team which can contend for the title." Brazil had some disappointing results after Scolari returned to the national team in December. It had previouslt won only one match -- against Bolivia -- and drawn with Italy, Russia and Chile. The team also played England twice, losing 2-1 in London and drawing 2-2 at the revamped Maracana last week. Sundays result in the southern city of Porto Alegre ended Brazils 21-year winless run against France, and gave the "Selecao" its first victory over a former World Cup champion in nearly four years. "After this victory the players will feel more confident," Scolari said. "They know of their potential and now they know that this team can win." Chelsea playmaker Oscar and substitute midfielders Hernanes and Lucas scored Brazils goals at the Arena Gremio. "The players who got in finished what the others had started," Scolari said. "Its good to know that we have balance in the squad." The coach said the victory was also important to get the fans to support Brazil again following the series of poor results. The national team was loudly jeered recently at home and Scolari has been calling for the publics support, saying it will be crucial to play well. "Our fans reacted wonderfully in a difficult match against a good team like France," Scolari said. "We need this push from them." Local media also praised the national team. "Brazil wins and gains strength for the Confederations Cup," read an O Globo newspaper front-page headline on Monday. Scolari said having the team practicing together for a longer period played a role in the teams improvement. "We had seven days together and now we will have another week, which will certainly make a difference again," the coach said. Scolari said he will likely play the same 11 from the France match in the opener against Japan. Brazil hasnt won a significant title since the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. 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The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Cheap Custom Kings Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. LOS ANGELES -- The Baltimore Orioles have five All-Stars and each of them contributed against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Manny Machado struck the biggest blow, hitting a three-run homer in the fifth inning to propel the Orioles to a 4-1 victory Tuesday night that ended their five-game skid while stopping the Dodgers five-game winning streak.We needed that, he said. Weve been scuffling a bit and weve been putting ourselves in bad situations.Machado, named an All-Star starter the day before he turns 24, sent a 2-2 pitch from Kenta Maeda (7-6) into the upper corner of the left field pavilion, putting the AL East-leading Orioles ahead 4-1. Machados 19th homer would have registered 453 feet -- his longest shot of the season -- had it landed unimpeded, according to Statcast.Yeah, I got it good, Machado said. Good hitters will hit it hard over the stadium, but I guess I dont have that pop.The Orioles lead the majors with 129 home runs; they had 56 in June.Chris Tillman (11-2) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, struck out two and walked two while facing the Dodgers for the first time in his career.Its what we needed, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Chris was the difference. Hes been good all year. Hes been pretty consistent.Tillman, a right-hander from Anaheim, California, had his career-high nine-game winning streak snapped last week, and wasnt selected for next weeks All-Star Game in San Diego.He was pretty bummed out about his last two starts, Machado said. I know he puts a lot of emphasis and a lot of pride into it. Knowing him, he wanted to come and prove a point today. He did that and more.Zach Britton pitched the ninth to earn his AL-leading 24th save in as many chances. The Dodgers briefly threatened, with Adrian Gonzalezs leadoff single before Yasiel Puig struck out and pinch-hitter Justin Turners long fly was caught at the wall by right fielder Joey Rickard. Howie Kendrick struck out swinging to end the game.Brach struck out the side swinging in the eighth before turning it over to Britton, who hasnt allowed an earned run in his last 24 games since May 5.Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters, another All-Star, went 2 for 4 with one strikeout.Maeda tied season highs in runs allowed (4) and hits (7) in four-plus innings, which equaled the shortest outing of his career. The right-hander struck out five and walked three while dropping to 3-6 in nine home starts this season.From the first inning on, it seemed like Kenta was laboring, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. He couldnt command the fastball. Youve got to make major league hitters respect your fasttball.dddddddddddd When they can lock in on a certain pitch it makes it that much tougher.The Orioles tied the game 1-all in the second when Jonathan Schoop flied into a forceout from right fielder to shortstop, scoring All-Star Mark Trumbo, who went 1 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts.Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager doubled in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to 18 games, the NLs longest this season. He scored on Gonzalezs single, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.The loss ended the Dodgers 10-game home winning streak. They didnt muster a hit past the fifth inning.DODGERS ALL-STARSAt 22 years, 69 days, Seager is the youngest position player to be named an All-Star in Dodgers history. Hes the clubs second rookie shortstop to be selected, joining Bill Grabarkewitz in 1970.Closer Kenley Jansen joined Seager as a first-time All-Star in his seventh season and is the teams first reliever to be named since 2010. Jansen ranks second among NL relievers with 25 saves.Left-hander Clayton Kershaw became the first Dodger to make six straight All-Star games since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981-86, but hell miss the game with a herniated disc. He leads the majors with a 1.79 ERA.ORIOLES ALL-STARSShowalter told Brachs wife, singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry, to pass along the news to her husband.I told her -- shes an up-and-coming country music singer -- she should write a song about it, Showalter said. Id buy it.URIAS TO MINORSThe Dodgers sent 19-year-old pitcher Julio Urias to Triple-A Oklahoma City after eight starts in an effort to control his innings. The left-hander was 1-2 with a 4.95 ERA after making his big league debut on May 27 at the New York Mets. The team has Urias on an unspecified innings limit this season. He was scheduled to be sent down earlier, but several injuries to the rotation forced an extended stay.TRAINERS ROOMOrioles: RHP Darren ODay, on the DL with a right hamstring strain, could pitch a rehab game over next weeks All-Star break. Its not a good injury, Showalter said. If he pushes it, hes going to miss the whole year.UP NEXTOrioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (1-6, 3.97 ERA) has received 3.20 runs of support and the team is 5-9 in his 14 starts.Dodgers: RHP Bud Norris (4-7, 3.89) makes his second start since being acquired from Atlanta last week. He pitched for the Orioles from 2013-15, with a 21-20 record and a 4.65 ERA. His best year for the Os was in 2014, when he posted career highs in wins (15) and ERA (3.65). ' ' '