Brazil 4-1 South Korea - MARTIN SAMUEL'S REPORT: World Cup favourites make big statement as they score FOUR first-half goals - with Vinicius Jnr, Neymar, Richarlison and Paqueta all netting - to set up quarter-final clash against Croatia
- Brazil breezed into the quarter-finals of the World Cup after easing past South Korea in Doha's Stadium 974
- Vinicius Junior opened the scoring in the seventh minute to set the tone for a devastating attacking display
- Neymar marked his return to the Brazil side by scoring a penalty following a foul on Richarlison
- Richarlison then found the net with a strike that came following a superb move by the South Americans
- Lucas Paqueta completed Brazil's first half rout in the 36th minute with a well taken cushioned volley
- Paik Seung-ho netted an excellent effort from range from off the bench to grab a late consolation
- Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results
For those that know their disco classics: tonight it’s party time, it’s party time tonight.
Brazil laughed, danced and sashayed their way into the World Cup quarter-finals in Doha, with a first-half performance as joyous as it was devastating to behold. If what then followed was something of an anti-climax it was only because, leading 4-0 at half-time, Brazil could afford to play the remainder of the match as a warm-down session.
While the nations on England’s side of the draw fixate on France and the lightning speed of Kylian Mbappe, here was the reminder that whatever fate has in store for Gareth Southgate and his players on Saturday, it would not get any easier, even in victory.
![Brazil stars (from left) Raphinha, Vinicius Jr, Lucas Paqueta and Neymar celebrate during their side's 4-1 win over South Korea](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/20/65266555-11502891-image-a-44_1670273740164.jpg)
Brazil stars (from left) Raphinha, Vinicius Jr, Lucas Paqueta and Neymar celebrate during their side's 4-1 win over South Korea
![Vinicius Jr (right) opened the scoring with a tidy finish through a sea of red shirts to set the attacking tone for Brazil](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65270311-11502891-image-a-52_1670274343099.jpg)
Vinicius Jr (right) opened the scoring with a tidy finish through a sea of red shirts to set the attacking tone for Brazil
![The forward celebrates his opening goal at Stadium 974, and Brazil never looked back during the World Cup last-16 tie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65270325-11502891-image-a-50_1670274340603.jpg)
The forward celebrates his opening goal at Stadium 974, and Brazil never looked back during the World Cup last-16 tie
At some stage there must be a reckoning with Brazil for any team that wants to win here. And what a Brazil. Holy moly, what a team this is. Fast, quick-witted, front foot footballers, they destroyed a hard-working South Korean team who were four behind in 36 minutes, unable to contain what confronted them or believe what they had seen.
Four goals, four goal scorers, and each breach of the Korean defences celebrated with a rondo by the corner flag, the whole team joining in. moving to the rhythm they collectively hear, and probably while the game is still unfolding. Brazil danced to their own tune here, as they do on nights like this.
Their truly is no group like them, no squad that considers the ecstasy that radiates from their play almost a national characteristic. This was, in essence, one of the greatest World Cup knockout round performances in recent memory. And it was done in one half.
The best Brazilian teams are often spiritual, too, and this one is strongly inspired by the sad news of Pele’s failing health, despite his family trying to cheer with positive bulletins and rebuttals of the suggestion he is in the final weeks, or months, of his life.
![After Richarlison was brought down, Neymar marked his return to the World Cup following injury with a skillful penalty kick](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267057-11502891-image-a-53_1670274368219.jpg)
After Richarlison was brought down, Neymar marked his return to the World Cup following injury with a skillful penalty kick
![The striker celebrates his goal that put Brazil 2-0 before 15 minutes had been played inside Stadium 974 in Doha](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65266779-11502891-image-a-56_1670274398006.jpg)
The striker celebrates his goal that put Brazil 2-0 before 15 minutes had been played inside Stadium 974 in Doha
![Despite a late second half flurry, South Korea were never in the game against a dominant Brazil - graphic from Sofascore](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65270863-11502891-image-a-83_1670275272742.jpg)
Despite a late second half flurry, South Korea were never in the game against a dominant Brazil - graphic from Sofascore
At the end, Neymar reappeared on the pitch with a banner in support of the great man. A true World Cup hero, not least to those in Tite’s ranks that wish to join him.
The brutal reality is that South Korea are not a bad team, but were made to look like one.
And bad teams can scrap and run and make it awkward for even the brightest opposition. Not last night they couldn’t.
South Korea were a goal down after seven minutes, two behind after 12 and, from there, were merely engaged in a game of desperate damage limitation.
They will have been relieved to have kept it to four because, if Brazil had needed ten, on this form they would have got them.
That would be the only criticism: that they were wasteful in front of goal Four could have been six and maybe eight.
Richarlison could have scored a second, Lucas Paqueta, too. Yet that is what happens when it becomes so easy, so quickly. Brazil were allowed to freewheel their way through so much of this match that it all become rather too casual. Heaven knows what would have happened had they taken it seriously for the full 90 minutes.
Of course, they scored from the first attack of the match, which helps.
Raphina absolutely ripped past Hwang In-beom on the right, overhit a pass intended for Neymar but saw it fall to Vinicius Junior in space to the left of the penalty area.
Everyone charged him. Defenders, the goalkeeper, a lesser talent would have panicked, snatched at his shot with so many snarling faces up in his grill. The Real Madrid man merely sized up the target and played the coolest, cleanest, most exquisitely controlled finish into the far corner.
![Richarlison scored one of the tournament's best goals after his superb ball control was met with a fine finish via a slick move](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267295-11502891-image-a-57_1670274441355.jpg)
Richarlison scored one of the tournament's best goals after his superb ball control was met with a fine finish via a slick move
![The Tottenham Hotspur striker runs off to celebrate his goal that effectively killed off the World Cup tie in under half-an-hour](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267297-11502891-image-a-60_1670274618925.jpg)
The Tottenham Hotspur striker runs off to celebrate his goal that effectively killed off the World Cup tie in under half-an-hour
![The players celebrate Richarlison's goal with his famous pigeon celebration, with team boss Tite joining in along with subs](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65270465-11502891-image-a-61_1670274641879.jpg)
The players celebrate Richarlison's goal with his famous pigeon celebration, with team boss Tite joining in along with subs
At that moment, it already looked bad for Korea. This was a team without nerves, a team in total charge of the moment. Unsurprisingly, just five minutes had elapsed when they made it two.
It was a rash moment in the Korean back line; an attempted clearance by Kim Moon-hwan played without much consideration for the players around him, so that when Richarlison nipped in from the side to get the ball, the defender cleared him instead.
Referee Clement Turpin, of France, pointed to the spot and, after a lengthy delay, his VAR made him right. Neymar stepped forward. Another bad sign for Korea. This was a man who had returned from injury for this game and flown his hairdresser in from Paris to give him a new lid for the occasion.
He wanted to look as he did when he scored twice against South Korea in Seoul last June. His run-up was Jorginho on steroids. One giant step, one big step, a smattering of smaller steps, a walk and then the ball rolled into the corner, so delicately it may not even have troubled the back of the net.
![West Ham United's Lucas Paqueta only added to the goal scoring rout with a superb cushioned volley to make it 4-0](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267527-11502891-image-a-63_1670274674169.jpg)
West Ham United's Lucas Paqueta only added to the goal scoring rout with a superb cushioned volley to make it 4-0
![The forward could have added to his first half strike as Brazil threatened to run riot against a hapless South Korea outfit](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267529-11502891-image-a-66_1670274677116.jpg)
The forward could have added to his first half strike as Brazil threatened to run riot against a hapless South Korea outfit
![A dejected Son Heung-min looks on as his South Korea side were effectively beaten before the end of the first half](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65267985-11502891-image-a-68_1670274686661.jpg)
A dejected Son Heung-min looks on as his South Korea side were effectively beaten before the end of the first half
Korea’s goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu just seemed to collapse to the floor as if his corner had thrown in the towel. Neymar ran over to dance and celebrate with his injured team-mate Alex Telles. It was his 76th goal for Brazil – one short of the mighty Pele, to whom this performance would later be dedicated – and he joined Pele and Ronaldo in scoring in three World Cup editions for his country. To think some feel he is over-rated.
The third goal will live long in the memory, equal parts brilliance and sheer audacity. It began with an impromptu game of keepy-up involving Richarlison and Korea’s Hwang Im-beom in which only the Brazilian appeared to be playing.
Header, header, header again and then a volley, eventually laying the ball off to Marquinhos. He moved it on to Thiago Silva who spotted Richarlison running off poor bamboozled Hwang and slipped him in.
He finished perfectly and this time the celebration rondo went all the way to the bench with even coach Tite, 61, joining in. Keeps you young when your team can play like this; Sir Alex Ferguson always said so.
![South Korea pulled a goal back late in the second half, with Paik Seung-ho coming off the bench to net a 25-yard consolation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65269707-11502891-image-a-69_1670274734146.jpg)
South Korea pulled a goal back late in the second half, with Paik Seung-ho coming off the bench to net a 25-yard consolation
![South Korea players celebrate Paik's (8) goal and it came as Brazil took their foot off the gas for the second period](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65269703-11502891-image-a-72_1670274737677.jpg)
South Korea players celebrate Paik's (8) goal and it came as Brazil took their foot off the gas for the second period
![Alisson still had to make a couple of fine saves before departing to allow back-up keeper Weverton to pick up cameo minutes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/05/21/65270543-11502891-image-a-74_1670274786464.jpg)
Alisson still had to make a couple of fine saves before departing to allow back-up keeper Weverton to pick up cameo minutes
West Ham players who have scored for Brazil at a World Cup. It’s not a huge list. Yet in the 36th minute, there was Lucas Paqueta with a fabulously timed run to meet Vinicius Junior’s cross on the volley and make it four. And to think the complaint about this Brazilian team was that they tend to be slow starters, with no first-half goals in any of their matches here so far.
They certainly made amends for that, this being the first time they had established such a lead inside 45 minutes at a World Cup since playing Mexico in Geneva in 1954.
Finally, a word on Alisson in the Brazilian goal. Outstanding. South Korea were not without their chances, but almost all they threw at him, he repelled, including two brilliant saves from Hwang In-beom and Hwang Hee-chan.
When he was finally beaten, with 13 minutes to go, it was an excellent shot from range by substitute Paik Seung-ho which he would have seen late and simply flew in the corner. It made no difference to the outcome, but it may have given Friday’s opponents, Croatia, the merest flicker of hope. As long as they didn’t watch the first-half. Keep dancing.
RE-LIVE ALL THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED...
Brazil are through to the World Cup quarter-finals
90+1min: There will be four added minutes as Hwang Hee-chan slices wide at the near post. An improved second half from Korea but it's an overall performance that was never going to keep them in the tournament.
89min: What a goal this nearly was from Dani Alves! Martinelli from the byline chips the ball into the path of Dani Alves who sees his goalbound bicycle kick well blocked.
81min: Last of the changes as Korea send on Hwang Ui-jo for Cho Gue-sung, while Brazil take off Neymar for Rodrygo and also send on third choice keeper Weverton, the only player who hasn't played for them this tournament, to replace Alisson. Nice touch that.
76min: Too late to save this game, but Paik Seung-ho has produced a beauty here! The substitute latching on to a Casemiro headed clearance to fire home a strike beyond a helpless Alisson from 28 yards.
Lee Kang-in replaces Lee Jae-Sung in Korea's fourth change by the way.
72min: Time to rest some more legs as Vinicius Junior and Danilo depart to be replaced by Gabriel Martinelli and Bremer.
68min: Big chance for Korea. Hwang fires a low shot well saved by Alisson, who in palming the ball to a grounded Cho Gue-sung results in the offside flag going up seconds before Son sees a shot blocked from close range.
65min: Third change for Korea as Paik Seung-ho replaces Hwang In-beom - who looks totally dejected as he reflects on the thrashing his team are getting.
63min: Eder Militao, on a booking, is replaced by veteran Dani Alves as Raphinha has another shot parried behind by the keeper.
60min: It all looks so easy for Brazil - but yet I can't help but question South Korea's role in all this. Their defending has been atrocious this evening. They just look so flat at the back.
57min: Brazil win a free-kick 25 yards out and Neymar is in a cheerful enough mood to allow Raphinha to take it.
His shot is deflected over by the wall and as Neymar wanders over to take it, he is given huge cheers by the Brazilian fans in the corner.
54min: Brazil are showing a kind of mercy on South Korea, in that they are not playing at 100 per cent now.
They are though still pressing for goals as Raphinha has the Korea defence in knots as he twists and turns inside the box before forcing a decent low save across goal by the diving Kim Seung-gyu.
48min: Raphinha has an early chance for Brazil, but it's Son Heung-min with an ever better one! He robs Marquinhos of the ball, but his effort across goal from the edge of the box is well saved by Alisson who tips the ball behind.
Hong Chul and Son Jun-ho replace Kim Jin-su and Jung Woo-young.
45+4min: What on earth is going on in the Korea defence. Kim-Jin su has gone AWOL as Richarlison is given the freedom to run down the right, but after sprinting into the box his low shot across goal is poor and allows Kim Seung-gyu to save with his feet. I'm notjoking in suggesting this could be 7-0.
45+1min: And as five minutes are added on, it should be 5-0. Paqueta is the latest to try and run onto a quick ball into the box but his poked finish across goal is incredibly weak. He really should be scoring - it's certainly nothing on his strike to make it 4-0.
43min: First impact of the game from Korea... and it's a yellow card as Jung Woo-young is booked for a foul that will see him miss the next match. I can assure you now it won't be at this World Cup.
40min: Time to start resting some players for Brazil already, right? This game is done and the favourites for the tournament are justifying that tag this evening.
37min: South Korea are being destroyed by a star studded display from Brazil here. The stunning goals keep on coming too as Vinicius Junior dinks a ball to the back post for Lucas Paqueta to cushion volley back across goal into the bottom corner. It's a brilliant strike, maybe better than Richarlison's goal? It's a fair debate for me.
Richarlison is having his own goal of the tournament competition here... but wa this better than his first? His celebration was questionable - dancing the pigeon steps as usual with the Brazilian bench.
29min: This is brilliant, Richarlison controls the ball with his head three times before playing a one-two with Thiago Silva, running into the box for the return ball before slotting home. Game over.
While Brazil continue to kill South Korea by 1000 cuts passes, let's take a look at that Neymar penalty again.
Look at how out of position the Korea keeper is as he strikes it. Penalties can be more than a lottery...
22min: Still all Brazil possession. Son Heung-min has hardly had a touch yet and when he does, he gets bulldozed down by Casemiro to win a free-kick.
19min: With a 2-0 lead, Brazil have already eased up - perhaps thinking about that quarter-final with Croatia.
If it's a battle of fresh legs there is only one winner in that too. Brazil may have taken just 15 minutes to win this last-16 tie - I stress may, compared to the over two hours it took Croatia to edge past Japan.
16min: Having been stunned by Brazil's fast start, South Korea to their credit do try to hit back. Hwang Hee-chan sees a s 25-yard driving destined to dip into the top corner brilliantly tipped over by Alisson.
13min: Back with a bang! Kissing the ball first, Neymar fools the keeper with stuttered run-up and low placed finish before Brazil players celebrate by dancing around the centre-forward.
Are we calling time on this last-16 tie in less than 15 minutes?
Jung Woo-Young bundles down Richarlison (who didn't exactly try and stay on his feet) and a penalty is awarded.
7min: Well that didn't take long! Raphinha breaks down the right, doing very well to hold off his marker to then cut the ball back into the box.
It eventually finds an unmarked Vinicius Junior, who after taking a touch beautifully fires high into a goal past a bunch of red shirts.
6min: South Korea perhaps unsurprisingly are sitting off Brazil and inviting pressure...
3min: Big cheers from the Brazilian fans as Neymar makes his first attacking touch as part of a counter attack but the Korean defence quickly surrounds him before getting in a strong tackle to win the ball.
Here is a reminder of the team news - Neymar and Son hug in the battle of the talismen before kick-off:
Brazil: Alisson, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Danilo, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Junior, Richarlison.
Subs: Fred, Weverton, Dani Alves, Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes, Antony, Rodrygo, Everton Ribeiro, Ederson, Bremer, Pedro, Martinelli.
South Korea: Seung-Gyu Kim, Moon-Hwan Kim, Min-Jae Kim, Young-Gwon Kim, Jin-Su Kim, In-Beom Hwang, Jung, Hee-Chan Hwang, Jae-Sung Lee, Heung-Min Son, Gue-Sung Cho.
Subs: Yoon, Paik, Bum-Keun Song, Jun-Ho Son, Hong, Eui-Jo Hwang, Na, Kang-In Lee, Kyung-Won Kwon, Jo, Chang-Hoon Kwon, Tae-Hwan Kim, Yu-Min Cho, Jeong, Min-Kyu Song.
Referee: Clement Turpin (France)
We now know who Brazil or South Korea will be playing in the quarter-finals, and it will be Croatia following their penalty shootout win over Japan. You can read more on the game below...
One South Korea supporter has gone straight for the throat! He is predicting a 7-1 Korea win tonight - referring to Brazil's famous 7-1 defeat by Germany at the 2014 World Cup in Mineirao.
MATT BARLOW: Little more than a month has passed since Son Heung-min learned he had fractured a cheekbone near his left eye socket in a collision with Chancel Mbemba, playing for Tottenham in Marseille.
A couple of weeks earlier, Richarlison limped out of a Spurs game with calf muscle damage and left the stadium on crutches, with tears streaming, fearing a problem like the one that ruled him out for a month last season.
Click below for more
For them, there is only one super hero in town in the shape of Tottenham star Son Heung-min. You do think the forward will have to be at his best for the Asian side to have any chance of progressing.
And I am referring to their previous full strength XI from when they beat Switzerland 2-0 to secure progress to the last-16 - and not the 1-0 defeat by Cameroon last time out where players were rested.
In come Neymar (obviously) and Danilo as Alex Sandro and Fred make way.
And here he is arriving with team-mates...
Kim Min-Jae and Wolves star Hwang Hee-chan come into the side, as Kwon Kyung-won and Lee Kang-in drop out from the team that secured qualification in a 2-1 win over Portugal.
Not feeling the same energy from Korea compared to their Brazil counterparts.
Hard to imagine any team matching these vibes coming off a team bus.
We have our first shootout of the World Cup coming up, with Japan and Croatia ending in a 1-1 draw after extra-time in their last-16 tie.
The winner of that encounter plays the winner of Brazil and South Korea so it's worth checking out who will triumph there by following our live coverage of that game right here.
...not going to lie, my ball skills are atrocious at the best of times - so to I'm slightly envious that a person in a mascot suit makes keepy uppys look so, so easy.
Pele has revealed he will be 'rooting' for Brazil's current star players as he watches their World Cup last-16 match against South Korea from hospital.
The 82-year-old, who won the World Cup in his career three times in 1958, 1962 and 1970, was omitted to hospital to treat a respiratory infection that was aggravated by Covid.
And Brazil have won six of those, including their last meeting back in June when Brazil won 5-1 in a friendly.
In fact all of their meetings dating back to their first in 1995 have been outside of major tournaments, making tonight's match their first competitive clash against each other.
Korea's only win over Brazil was back in 1999 in Seoul.
I doubt it, at least from the start. Brazil have enough quality in attack to not heavily rely on the forward these days - we are not in 2014 anymore.
There is definitely though an opportunity to throw him into the mixer later on though when Brazil may need a goal or, more likely, have the luxury of a lead to get some minutes into the PSG star's legs.
For now at least... Stadium 974 as you probably know by now is the temporary structure made up of 974 freights and this evening's last-16 match will be its last before it is dismantled.
However, it could return at a future date with speculation it could be shipped to Uruguay and be used as part of their bid to host the World Cup in its centenary year.
Here are the scenes ahead of kick-off as darkness looms over Qatar in Doha.
It's a concerning time not just for Brazilian football but the global game as a whole following the recent reports surrounding the health of one of the legends of the game in Pele.
The three-time World Cup winner - who many argue is the greatest ever player - has been very ill in recent times. As ever though he continues to fight and here is the latest on his condition.
Spot the football fan making his way to Stadium 974 later on this evening.
Neymar missed Brazil's games against Switzerland and Cameroon after suffering an ankle injury in their opening fixture against Serbia, but he is hoping to return today.
Neymar missed Brazil's games against Switzerland and Cameroon after suffering an ankle problem in their opening fixture against Serbia.
You would be a brave person to bet against it. There seems to be only one winner this evening when Brazil take on South Korea - especially with Neymar set to return from injury.
But we have had a few surprises at this World Cup already so can South Korea spring a shock? Good afternoon all and welcome to our live coverage of all the action as it happens.
Follow Sportsmail's live blog for the World Cup last-16 clash between Brazil and South Korea.
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