Brazil win sets up clash with England

Brazil 2 Belgium 0

One goal apiece from Rivaldo and Ronaldo set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash between England and Brazil.

The Barcelona star kept up his record of scoring in each of Brazil’s World Cup matches so far to put the South Americans into the last eight against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men in Shizuoka on Friday afternoon.

Then as Robert Waseige’s side chased the game Ronaldo added a second, his fifth of the competition and ensuring he too had been on the mark in every game so far for Brazil.

But Belgium made life very tough for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team in this second-round clash in Kobe, frustrating them with stout defending and causing Brazil’s shaky backline many problems.

Belgium launched the first attack of the match and Mpenza almost embarrassed goalkeeper Marcos, who had to back-pedal quickly to tip his chip over the top in the first minute.

Waseige’s team had made the brighter start and Brazil were troubled again when Yves Vanderhaeghe’s cross eluded everyone and ran out of play.

Brazil’s first threatening moment came from Juninho after five minutes, who drove a 20-yard effort wide after Ronaldinho had squared the ball to him.

Rivaldo sent in a dangerous inswinging corner from the right two minutes later but Gilberto Silva failed to make contact with his head as he rushed into the six-yard box.

Roberto Carlos then fired over with one of his signature free-kicks, though trying to beat Geert de Vlieger from about 40 yards was ambitious even for him.

The best chance so far fell to Ronaldo on 19 minutes when Ronaldinho found him free inside the box.

But the former World Player of the Year's curving shot fizzed just wide of the far post.

Brazil were beginning to assert themselves and Ronaldo curled a right-foot shot wide of the post in the 18th minute when Ronaldinho laid the ball left to him after a cunning run into the box.

Five minutes later Juninho released Ronaldo down the left flank with a raking pass, and the Inter Milan star’s cross was met by a bicycle kick from Rivaldo, but he failed to keep his effort down.

Belgium were fooled when Roberto Carlos made a dummy run at another free-kick and left it to the right foot of Ronaldinho, whose effort was headed away for a corner.

Belgium captain Marc Wilmots tried to emulate Rivaldo’s effort from further out in the 26th minute, and though his effort went closer than the Brazilians it was still comfortably over Marcos’ crossbar.

Roberto Carlos received a caution for tripping Gert Verheyen moments later, and then shinned an effort hopelessly wide after Juninho broke forward following a Belgium corner.

Belgium had the ball in the net in the 36th minute when Wilmots headed in a right-wing cross but the goal was ruled out by Jamaican referee Peter Prendergast for pushing on Roque Junior.

Brazil were stung by that scare and Juninho squared a pass to Ronaldo, who broke past three Belgian defenders but had his shot well smothered by de Vlieger.

Rivaldo then broke clear and drilled in a cross from the left but Ronaldo’s stretching volley flew just over the top with five minutes to go to half-time.

Ronaldinho, who was looking particularly lively, beat two Belgian defenders with nimble feet in the final minute of the half but his shot had the sting taken out of it.

Wilmots was putting in a typically energetic performance and went very close in the 53rd minute when he showed great strength to turn his marker and fire in a low left foot shot from 20 yards out.

Marcos scrambled across his goal and was just able to stretch out a hand and turn the ball around his left-hand post.

Scolari substituted the industrious Juninho and replaced him with Denilson after 56 minutes. It seemed a strange choice as the former Middlesbrough man had been Brazil’s most influential midfielder.

The South Americans still looked out of synch and it was summed up by a horrible effort by Rivaldo on the hour, who dragged a 30-yard shot well wide.

Belgium looked the more likely winners at this stage and Wilmots tested Marcos again two minutes later, cutting inside Roque Junior and curling a shot to the Brazilian’s far post and when he could only claw it out, Bart Goor smashed the rebound over the top.

But suddenly Brazil found a goal from nowhere in the 67th minute, Ronaldinho crossed with the outside of his right foot and Rivaldo chested the ball down, took another touch with his left and then rifled in a shot from the edge of the box, a slight deflection giving de Vlieger no chance.

Sonck’s first act was to receive a pass from Vanderhaeghe and to attempt a curling right-foot shot from the edge of the box, but it sailed just wide of Marcos’ goal.

Belgium had to throw everything forward and it was not surprising when Brazil sprang a counter-attack in the 87th minute, substitute Kleberson, on for Ronaldinho, raced down the right and centred low for Ronaldo who put a first-time shot through de Vlieger’s legs and into the net.

Goor fired a shot into the side-netting a minute later, but Belgium’s World Cup challenge was at an end as Brazil prepared themselves for England.