Nemanja Maksimovic scored in the 117th minute to give Serbia a surprise 2-1 win over Brazil in the final of the Under-20 World Cup.

The match seemed destined for a penalty shootout but a late Serbia counter-attack bore fruit as Stefan Ilic and Andrija Zivkovic combined to put Maksimovic in behind the defense and he calmly slotted his low shot past goalkeeper Jean.

The victory, and Serbia's first title as an independent nation, owed much to goalkeeper and captain Pedrag Rajkovic who pulled off a series of saves to repeatedly deny Brazil its longed-for victory.

Brazil's "next generation" had been chasing a sixth under-20 title and defeat inflicted another wound on a nation still dealing with its humiliating exit from the senior World Cup last year.

FULLTIME

Tears from both sides as this one comes to and end.

119mins - BRA 1-2 SRB

Serbia players on the ground praying as Brazil awarded a corner. But the effort is cleared.

118mins - BRA 1-2 SRB

GOAAAAAAAL! Maksimovic is put through by a lovely ball and he beats the keeper with ease. Two minutes remaining.

114mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

Minor scuffle in the centre of the field. Referee steps in and play continues. Brazil now looking to break out of their half.

111mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

Cross finds its way into the box for Brazil but Alef's header is wide. Serbia clear.

108mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

MISS! Gacinovic! That was possibly the game right there. The shot had the keeper beaten but it just wouldn't stay low and straight enough. Brazil breathes a sigh of relief as it sails past the net.

HALFTIME IN EXTRA TIME

102mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

Chance goes begging for Brazil as Malcom's shot sails wide of the right post.

97mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

And the heavens have opened up as it becomes a struggle to follow play. This rain is something else.

94mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

And we're back.

END OF SECOND HALF

90+3mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

The free kick is saved as Serbia hang on for extra time.

90mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

Jean Carlos goes down hard. Free kick to Brazil just 25 metres out. Is this the dramatic finish we've been waiting for?

1-1 at the FIFA Under 20 World Cup final. Great game! pic.twitter.com/QnWUqqoBEb — Steven Joyce (@stevenljoyce) June 20, 2015

84mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

Highlights of those two goals are now up. Brazil concede a free-kick following Marlon's challenge on Babic from Serbia.

79mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

And there's been a handful of chances for both sides since that stunning period. Brazil doing most of the running.

73mins - BRA 1-1 SRB

GOOOAL! What just happened! Brazil's Pereira comes right back with the equaliser after wading his way through some soft defence in the box. The shot is low and hard and beats Rajkovic to the bottom right corner.

Brasil empata el marcador y le pone emoción a la final del campeonato mundial FIFA sub 20 https://t.co/OUzt2NtvFU — Latina.pe (@Latina_pe) June 20, 2015

70mins - BRA 0-1 SRB

GOAAAAAL!!!! Mandic nails a floating cross into the back of the net.

66mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Sergej goes down in a heap. He's rolling around on the ground after what looks to have been a head collision in mid-air. He's gone off for further treatment.

61mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Serbia concede a free-kick following Zdjelar's challenge on Gabriel.

55mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Swift on the counter-attack Brazil, Serbian defense scrambles to clear.

49mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Jorge's effort hits the target for Brazil but the keeper is up to the task.

HALFTIME

46mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

SAVE! The corner comes screaming in for Serbia who get a shot on target. But Jean pulls off a huge save while falling to his left.

45mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

One minute of added time.

40mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Brazil showing its defensive prowess after a fluid Serbian movement is diffused just outside the box. Joao Pedro has been solid at the back.

Never seen an U20 team so organized in defence than Serbia..Brazil have to shoot from distance if they want to beat this Serbian team — richie nero bryant (@roxrichie) June 20, 2015

34mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Jean forced to make a brilliant save after a rocket comes in from Serbia's Zivkovic. No shortage of chances in this one.

29mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Serbia's free kick won around 20 yards out, but the shot is high and wide.

21mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Brazil's Jaja lets one rip from just outside the six-yard box. It's on target but yet another brilliant save by Rajkovic.

16mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Brazil concede a free-kick following a challenge on Serbia's Mandic.

10mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

CHANCE! That was close, from a free kick the rebound falls for Jean Carlos who fires only for Rajkovic to pull off a brilliant save for Serbia.

4mins - BRA 0-0 SRB

Zivkovic latches on to a cross and the first chance of the game goes to the Serbians.

Kick-off was at 5:00pm (NZT).

Pre-game

TEAMS:

Brazil: Jean (GK), Joao Pedro, Lucao, Marlon, Danilo (c), Guilherme, Boschilia, Gabriel, Jorge, Jaja, Jean Carlos.

Serbia: Rajkovic (GK), Gajic, Antonov, Zdjelar, Veljkovic, Babic, Spanjic, Maksimovic, Mandic, Zivkovic, Sergej.

Football, artistry, samba… A Seleção. Whenever this sequence of thought springs to mind, it usually means one of Brazil’s national teams is on the road to success.

Enjoying the game is a prerequisite for footballers from the land of the Sugarloaf Mountain if they are to perform at their very best, and they have rediscovered this enthusiasm at the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015. The five-time world champions face surprise package Serbia in the final in Auckland this Saturday, and the young man charged with creating the magic required to land this title is Gabriel Boschilia.