Football

Home page

Football

Samba kings Brazil bludgeon Chile

29 June 2010 01:14 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Brazil has swept Chile aside 3-0 in the World Cup round of 16 in a display of mesmerising attacking football, APA reports quoting â€œABC Newsâ€.
Goals from Juan, Luis Fabiano and Robinho sealed the deal for Brazil, which breezed into a bumper quarter-final match-up with the Netherlands.
Brazil withstood early pressure in the opening exchanges before blowing Chile away with a mix of sweeping attacks and clinical set plays.
Traditionally lauded for its attacking flair, Brazil’s defence was equally impressive as Lucio thwarted a Chilean counter before marauding through the heart of midfield, turning defence into attack in an instant.
The game was over by half-time, but Ramires’s unchallenged run on 59 minutes summed up Brazil’s day as he passed three defenders before offloading for Robinho, who curled it first time past the despairing Claudio Bravo.
What followed played as a montage of the best of samba football as Dani Alvez fired from a ridiculous 45 yards and only narrowly missed the top corner.
Chile’s Jorge Valdivia tried to respond in kind with a volley that dipped just over the crossbar, but Brazil responded with a flowing move, finding Kaka unmarked outside the box who could not finish from distance.
Robinho looked to make it 4-0 as he broke free down the right before forcing Bravo into a save from a sharp angle.
Chile mustered up a response when Suarez twisted and turned in the box, but his shot was well saved by Julio Cesar. A passing move around Brazil’s box found Jean Beausejour, who fired wide late in the match.
The match closed out with Chile searching in vain for a consolation goal, but the Selecao defence remained inpenetrable.
Chile unravelled
Chile had earlier threatened to take the game to Brazil in the first half with a brave counter-attacking game that pinned their opponents back in the opening minutes.
Beausejour flighted an early cross into the box as his side looked to seize the initiative, but soon enough, Brazil were looking to dictate affairs with some mesmerising attacks.
Anchorman Gilberto Silva had an early sight on goal with a dipping shot before Kaka flashed a shot wide.
Chile looked dangerous playing on the counter as Pablo Contreras narrowly missed an attacking corner, but on 34 minutes, Brazil broke Chile’s resistance via a set piece.
Maicon forced a corner before floating a perfect cross to the unmarked Juan, who headed imperiously to break the deadlock.
Four minutes later, it was game over.
Robinho put in a barnstorming run down the left before squaring for Kaka, who showed superb finesse to put Luis Fabiano through to round the keeper and score.
While Chile will be applauded for their intelligent play throughout the competition, Brazil’s sheer quality sees it march on as one of the outright Cup favourites.