DOHA, Qatar
Brazil delivered a formidable message to their many World Cup rivals with a sensational display against South Korea that booked them a spot in the Qatar 2022 quarter-finals against Croatia.
Neymar returned from injury to
help inspire Brazil to a 4-1 victory over South Korea on Monday as the
favourites cruised through.
The world's most expensive
player had sat out his team's last two matches with a sprained ankle suffered
in their opening 2-0 win over Serbia.
But he came back for this
last-16 tie as Tite's team clicked into gear and delivered an ominous message
to their rivals, at least before easing off in the second half.
Vinicius Junior, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta all scored first-half goals, with Paik Seung-ho pulling one back for a beleaguered South Korea late on.
Vinicius Junior opened the
scoring inside seven minutes before Neymar added another from the penalty spot
to move to 76 goals for his country, leaving him just one away from equalling
Pele's all-time record tally.
Richarlison's brilliant goal
made it 3-0 and Lucas Paqueta added another before half-time to leave South
Korea shellshocked.
Paik Seung-ho pulled one back
but by then Brazil were thinking about Friday's quarterfinal clash with 2018
runners-up Croatia.
"The time has come to go
further," Neymar told Brazilian broadcaster Globo, referring to their
defeats in the semifinals in 2014 and quarterfinals four years ago.
"We are dreaming of
winning the title, that's obvious, but we have to go step by step.
"This was the fourth
game. There are three to go but we are prepared. Our minds are focused on
winning the title.”
The five-time world champions had not scored four goals in a knockout game at the tournament since 1998.
Here they played at times with
the joy associated with the Brazilian national team, the players coming
together to celebrate each goal by showing off their dance moves and their
coach even joining in.
After their victory, Brazil’s
players carried a banner bearing Pele’s name onto the pitch in support of the
82-year-old football icon, who remains in hospital in Sao Paulo.
The Brazilian legend had said
he would watch the game from the Sao Paulo hospital to where he was admitted
last week for cancer treatment, and supporters in Doha's Stadium 974 unfurled a
banner with a get well soon message to him.
It was a chastening experience
for Son Heung-min and South Korea, who have still never won a World Cup
knockout match outside their own country.
Their coach Paulo Bento later
announced he would not be continuing in the role.
"I believe we can be very
proud of what we have done at this World Cup, and what we have done over the
last four years to get here," said Bento.
Tite made 10 changes to the
Brazil team after rotating his squad for last Friday's inconsequential 1-0 loss
to Cameroon, with Danilo also returning from injury at left-back. -
Africa
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