Brazil Eases Into Quarterfinals With 3-0 Rout Of Chile

Though Chile started their Round of 16 match with Brazil strong, it was ultimately an easy day for Brazil, who used two goals in a five minute span of the first half to take control of the match, with a second half score from Robinho to give the Brazilians a 3-0 win and a spot in the quarterfinals.

With it, they will meet Holland, on Friday, the the winner moving into the semifinal to face either Ghana or Uruguay.

Midfielder Ramires carry a ball from the half-way line to the edge of the Chile penalty area, through the center of the Chile defense, before laying of for Robinho, who curled his shot inside the right post to give Brazil a 3-0 lead in the 59th minute.

Robinho opened his foot onto Ramires’s lay-off, and with no Chilean defenders quick enough to the ball to challenge him, the attacker was able to calmly spin the ball inside the far post.

The new Brazil has used their best weapons to take a 2-0 lead on Chile: set pieces and counter attacks.

Although Chile played play Brazil relatively even for 40 of the half’s 45 minutes, a spell toward the end of the half saw Chile give up both of the games goals.

In the four minutes after Juan’s opening goal, Brazil has already launched two dangerous counter attacks, the second producing a goal for Luis Fabiano in the 38th minute.

Brazil broke out of their own end and got the ball to Robinho on the left flank. A ball played across, to the top of the arc, for Kaká drew defenders, allowing the midfielder to touch a pass behind the line for Luis Fabiano. Fabiano touched the ball to the right to avoid the goalkeeper and give him an open goal.

Brazil central defender Juan has headed Brazil in front of Chile 1-0 in the 35th minute of the teams’ Round of 16 match in Johannesburg.

A Maicon corner sent to the middle of the area sat Juan rise by himself to meet the ball, heading the ball near the far post to put Brazil up 1-0.

Says the defensive soccer fan.

With the Real Madrid-man not as fast as he was pre-2008 knee operation, there is no longer as much of a risk of Kaká finding that next gear, blowing by Carmona, and threatening through the vacated space.