2010 World Cup: Chile v Brazil full time report
Chile 0 Brazil 3
Brazil stamped their authority on the World Cup with a professional performance against an energetic Chile side. The Brazilian play was far from flamboyant, but once again the mix of determination and quality in the final third was enough to see the five-time World Champions through to the quarter finals.
Goals from Juan, Luis Fabiano and Robinho were enough to send the entertaining Chileans out of the World Cup in the second round stage for the third time in their history.
In a game where the first goal was always going to be crucial, it was a Brazil set-piece that opened the scoring. Juan wonderfully headed home a Maicon corner with 35 minutes gone, the centre-half rose between a crowd of players to firmly head into the top corner.
The lead was doubled minutes later, as Fabiano, who had been poor up-until then, latched onto a Kaka through ball, and showed all his class by rounding the goalkeeper, and slotting the ball home. In all fairness it was the first time in the match that Kaka had managed to influence the game in the final third, and Chile had paid the ultimate price.
Before the goal there was little between the sides, with Chile, as ever, looking lively up front without possessing the quality to produce a clinical final ball.
They continued to play with a great enthusiasm in the second period, but apart from a couple of half chances from Humberto Suazo they failed to really test Julio Cesar.
Brazil were always a threat on the counter attack and Kaka should have finished off a free-flowing move minutes before Robinho gave the Samba stars a three goal cushion.
Ramires made the goal for the Manchester City star with a lung bursting 40 yard dribble through the heart of the Chilean defence, he shifted the ball to Robinho who expertly curled the ball first time into the bottom corner. Another moment of brilliance from a player that flattered to deceive during his time in the Premier League.
The third goal killed the game as a contest, but Chile kept attacking with pace and Suazo forced a couple of point blank saves from Cesar, but rarely did the well marshaled Brazil backline looked seriously troubled.
This wasn’t a vintage Brazilian performance, but it is what we have come to expect from Dunga’s side, no thrills, but brilliant in both boxes.
It is going to take a extremely good side to stop them, Holland await them in the quarter finals.
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