Five-times Champions, Brazil Beat South Korea - Reach Quarter Finals

Brazilian football fans are in a state of joy over a storming entry of Brazil’s FIFA team into the quarter-finals. The team suppressed South Korean opponents with a 4-1 on the scoreboard in their “Round of 16” encounter. Led by Neymar and other players, the Brazilian team dedicated the victory to their legendary Pele who is fighting colon cancer in a hospital.

The five-time champions, Brazil put up a worthy performance at Stadium 974 today. With this victory, the team has advanced to the quarter-finals, where it will meet Croatia, the 2018 runners-up.

It took Brazil only the first half to finish the contest wherein the winning team scored four goals. Vinicius Jr led the attack in the seventh minute and scored the first goal. Soon, Neymar took the front seat and drove Brazil to a 2-0 lead by scoring his 76th international goal in the 13th minute. In the 29th minute, Richarlison earned Brazil another goal lead and Lucas Paqueta made it 4-0 in the 36th minute.

The second half saw Korea with a much better strategy. Although they managed to keep Brazilian strikers at bay, they couldn’t manage to cut down the lead. However, after persistent effort, the Asian side got a consolation goal. Paik Seung-ho scored a stunning goal in the 76th minute from a distance but it came too late to save them from defeat.

Neymar, the world’s most expensive player, had to sit out for the previous two matches following a sprained ankle in the game against Serbia. And when he returned for this match, he joined his teammates to send a message that their team is a strong contender for the title. It’s the first time after 1998 that the five-times World Cup winners have scored four goals in a knockout game. The team celebrated each goal with dance moves, even joined by their coach.

Pele was watching the game from Sao Paulo hospital where he is being treated for his colon cancer. After the victory, the Brazil team unfurled a banner to pay tribute to the legendary 82-year-old Pele. Neymar gave a statement on this, “It's hard to talk about what Pele is going through right now, but I wish him all the best. I hope he will be back in good health as soon as possible and that we could have at least comforted him with the victory."

Brazil is one of the favourites for the title. And if they win, it will be their sixth FIFA World Cup Title. In the first three of five triumphs, Pele was a part of the Brazil team.