Qatar 2022: Neymar, Richarlison Shine As Brazil Secure World Cup Quarterfinal Spot
…Brazil secured quarter-finals spot in the World Cup with an exuberant first-half performance to a 4-1 win over South Korea on Monday night.
Sports Recorder
December 6, 2022
Brazil were boosted by the return of Neymar who suffered an ankle injury in the opening win over Serbia and the 30-year-old announced his return with a penalty that moved him one goal behind Pele’s international record of 77 (13), which doubled Brazil’s lead after Vinicius Junior’s cool opener (7).
Richarlison then netted his third goal of the tournament after some of the most exquisite build-up (29) and it was 4-0 before the break when West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta guided in a shot to get in on the act (36).
But with the job already very much done by the break, the momentum slowed after it. As a result, South Korea did not let their heads drop and they had a brief moment to celebrate when Seung-Ho Paik reduced the deficit with a thumping strike (76).
Unsurprisingly, it was not enough to inspire a comeback from Paulo Bento’s side, who exit after having reached the knockout stages for the first time since 2010.
Brazil, meanwhile, advance to the last eight of the tournament, where a clash with Croatia awaits on Friday afternoon.
