Cafu challenges Ma Mingyu (Allsport).
Brazil 4 China 0
By David Anderson, PA Sport, Seogwipo
Chinese coach Bora Milutinovic must be sick of the sight of Brazil after they
crushed his latest World Cup charges to advance ever closer to a place in the
last 16.
Milutinovic, who is coaching his fifth different country at successive
tournaments, has now faced Brazil three times in the World Cup and lost on each
occasion.
None of his sides - Costa Rica at Italia 90, the United States at USA 94 and
now China - could even manage a goal let alone a point and this was his biggest
drubbing at the hands of Brazil.
After a bright start by China in the Jeju Stadium the rout began in the 15th
minute when Roberto Carlos fired home a free-kick.
Li Weifeng fouled Ronaldinho around 30 yards out on the right and Roberto
Carlos unleashed a left-foot rocket, which flew past the not so Great Wall of
China and gave goalkeeper Jiang Jin no chance.
Despite his reputation for scoring from free-kicks, it was his first success
for Brazil since that never-to-be-forgotten banana effort at Le Tournoi de
France in 1997.
Cafu went close to a second when he burst through on the right and unleashed a
right-foot rocket which Jiang did well to parry.
However that save only delayed the inevitable and on 32 minutes it was 2-0.
Du Wei made a good covering header to knock Cafu's cross away from the waiting
Ronaldo.
Unfortunately for China the ball only dropped as far as Ronaldinho on the
left-hand side of the area and he crossed for Rivaldo to sweep home his second
goal of the tournament from a couple of yards out.
To their credit China refused to buckle and captain Ma Mingyu was presented
with a chance on the left and his right-foot shot hit Lucio on the back and went
behind.
Normal service was resumed just before half-time when Li pulled Ronaldo over
in the area and Ronaldinho scored Brazil's third from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo finally got in on the act 10 minutes after the interval when he tapped
home Cafu's cross at the back post to make it 4-0.
Cafu, who was a constant menace with his runs down the right, went close to a
fifth when he touched Juninho's pass past Jiang only for Du to beat him to the
loose ball before he could knock it into the unguarded net.
For some Chinese fans it was becoming too much and one or two started throwing
their hats on to the pitch.
Zhao Junzhe almost gave them something to smile about when he hit a fine right
foot shot only for it to come off the post with Marcos beaten before substitute
Shao Jiayi's free-kick was touched round the post by Marcos.
Teams Brazil: Marcos, Cafu, Lucio, Roque Junior, Carlos, Gilberto,
Juninho Paulista (Ricardinho 71), Polga,
Ronaldinho (Denilson 46), Rivaldo, Ronaldo (Edilson 72).
Subs Not Used: Belleti, Ceni, Dida, Edmilson, Junior, Kaka,
Kleberson, Luizao, Vampeta.
Booked: Ronaldinho, Roque Junior.
Goals: Carlos 15, Rivaldo 32, Ronaldinho 45 pen, Ronaldo 55.
China PR: Jiang, Wu, Xu, Du, Weifeng Li, Tie Li, Zhao,
Ma (Pu Yang 62), Xiaopeng Li, Qi (Shao 67), Hao (Qu 75).
Subs Not Used: An, Gao, Jihai, Ou, Su, Chen Yang, Yu, Zhang,
Zhiyi.
Att: 36,750
Ref: Anders Frisk (Sweden).
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