World Cup Fancies Brazil Muscle Off South Korea

World Cup favourites Brazil produced a performance to delight fans and terrify potential opponents as they ripped through South Korea with four first-half goals to secure a hugely impressive 4-1 victory in their last 16 clash.

They were ahead after seven minutes when Raphinha’s low cross reached Vinicius Jr and he expertly lifted the ball above the charging goalkeeper and three defenders. Five minutes later it was 2-0 with a Neymar penalty and Richarlison added a brilliant third after a spell of juggling then a razor combination with Marquinhos and Thiago Silva that had Brazil’s delirious fans dancing and neutrals everywhere purring.

Lucas Paqueta volleyed in the fourth after 36 minutes and the five-times champions played the second half as an exhibition, denied more goals only by impressive Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, as they turned their attention to Friday’s quarter-final meeting with Croatia. Korea worked tirelessly and bravely to try to limit the damage and were rewarded for their own attacking efforts when Paik Seung-ho smashed in a brilliant long-range shot.

For 45 minutes, it felt less like a World Cup knockout match and more like an exhibition from Brazil, who delivered a first-half display of individual and collective brilliance which should genuinely strike fear into the other favourites in Qatar.

The five-time winners were expected to comfortably beat South Korea but it was not so much a 4-1 win but the manner, or more specifically the swagger, of their performance which was so ominous for Croatia, who they meet in Friday’s quarter-final, and their other rivals.

Speaking from hospital on the eve of the game, Pele had said he wanted to “inspire” his successors in the famous yellow jersey and Tite’s players could scarcely have honoured him more appropriately in a first-half brimming with style and skill.