World Cup 2022: Brazil eliminate Korea, to play Croatia in quarter-final
Brazil blew Korea away in their last-16 clash at the 2022 World Cup winning 4-1 on Monday.
The Selecao delivered arguably the best performance of the tournament so far as they struck four first-half goals in a 4-1 demolition of South Korea in Monday evening’s one-sided last-16 clash.
The Selecao had suffered a surprise defeat to Cameroon in their final group game as manager Tite fielded a second-string XI, but they reverted to their first-choice line-up at Stadium 974 and laid down a marker to reassert their credentials as pre-tournament favourites.
It took just seven minutes for Vinicius Junior to open the scoring, collecting Raphinha’s low cross and calmly stroking the ball past a horde of red shirts and into the top corner.
Just a few minutes later Brazil doubled their lead after Richarlison was brought down inside the box with Neymar – who recovered from injury in time to start the match – rolling the resulting penalty past Kim Seung-gyu.
Just before the half-hour mark it was Richarlison’s turn to get in on the act, starting and finishing an outstanding move to prompt yet more jubilant scenes – and even a pigeon celebration from Tite – before West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta finished off another excellent move to make it four not long after.
The second half was a rather tamer affair and it took a smart stop from Alisson to prevent Son Heung-min from pulling a goal back shortly after the restart, though South Korea did get a late consolation goal after a brilliant strike from Paik Seung-ho.
Croatia goalkeeper Dominic Kivakovic saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida before Mario Pasalic netted the winning spot-kick in their 3-1 shootout win over Japan on Monday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
With the scores deadlocked at 1-1 after an absorbing 90 minutes, Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma went closest in the scrappy half-hour of extra time, forcing Kivakovic to parry away his powerful drive.
Daichi Kamada had shot off target after a flowing Japan counter-attack minutes before Daizen Maeda deservedly put them ahead in the 43rd minute, firing home from close range after Ritsu Doan delivered an in-swinging cross into the penalty area.
