Brazil underlined their status as favourites at the Qatar 2022 World Cup tonight with a 4-1 win over South Korea in their round of 16 clash in Doha.
The five-time champions were ruthlessly efficient in the first half in which they scored all their goals, leaving fans drooling and their opponents befuddled.
Vinicius Junior, Neymar, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta all scored in a display of devastating attacking football in the first 45 minutes.
Brazil were ahead after just seven minutes when Raphinha’s low cross reached Vinicius Junior, who lifted the ball above the charging goalkeeper and three defenders into the net.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 with Neymar scoring his first goal of the tournament from the penalty spot.
Richarlison added a brilliant third after a brilliant combination with Marquinhos and Thiago Silva as they overran the Koreans.
Paqueta volleyed in the fourth goal in the 36th minute after being brilliantly set up by Vinicius Junior.
Brazil became the first team to score four goals in the first half of a World Cup knockout game since Germany against them in that infamous 7-1 defeat in the 2014 semi-final.
Also, the last time Brazil scored four goals in the first half of a World Cup match was against Mexico in 1954.
Not needing to exert themselves much anymore, Brazil played the second half as an exhibition, but were still denied more goals by impressive Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
Korea were in damage limitation mode in the second half and they were rewarded for their own attacking efforts when Paik Seung-ho fired a long-range shot beyond Alisson 13 minutes from time.
Brazil, who celebrated all their goals tonight with choreograghed dancing, will face Croatia in the quarter-finals on Friday.
