Brazil favourites to win World Cup

Brazil 4-0 China

Brazil are now being touted as one of the favourites to win the World Cup after this faultless performance against China.

Roberto Carlos started the slaughter after just 14 minutes with Rivaldo and Ronaldinho continuing Brazil’s dominance in the first half.

Ronaldo scored his second goal of the tournament after 55 minutes as Brazil cruised to their second victory in their group.

Brazil, who beat Turkey 2-1 in their opening Group C game, had made just one change with Gremio defender Anderson Polga replacing Edmilson.

Manchester City’s Sun Jihai and Dundee’s Fan Zhiyi were the fall guys from China’s opening defeat to Costa Rica and both were relegated to the bench.

China’s much-travelled coach Bora Milutinovic was facing Brazil for the third time in the World Cup.

He lost 1-0 to the South Americans with Costa Rica at Italia 90 and by the same scoreline with the United States at USA 94.

They may have been just cannon fodder in many people’s eyes, but China began determined to upset Brazil.

Qi Hong managed the first shot of the match with a deflected effort which was easily gathered by Marcos before Wu Chengying’s drive rebounded off Cafu and went out for a throw-in.

China then had a great chance to catch Brazil on the break when Zhao Junzhe fed Qi, but Hao Haidong failed to control his left-wing cross.

Normal service was resumed on 15 minutes when Roberto Carlos fired Brazil ahead with his first free-kick goal in five years.

Li Weifeng fouled Ronaldinho around 30 yards out on the right and Roberto Carlos banged the free-kick home past the wall giving Chinese goalkeeper Jiang Jin no chance.

That goal was the spark Brazil needed and suddenly they looked more like one of the favourites for the World Cup.

Skipper Cafu burst through on the right and unleashed a right-foot rocket which Jiang did well to parry.

Qi brought the Chinese fans to their feet when he nutmegged Anderson and went haring down the left flank only for the Brazilian to recover and win the ball.

Du Wei became the first player to be booked for tugging down Ronaldinho on the edge of the Chinese box.

On 32 minutes, it was 2-0.

Du made a good covering header to knock Cafu’s cross away from the waiting Ronaldo. However the ball dropped to Ronaldinho on the left-hand side of the area and he crossed for Rivaldo to sweep home his second goal of the tournament from inside the six-yard box.

Roberto Carlos tried to repeat his free-kick heroics from a roughly similar position on the right-hand side, only this time he blasted the ball into the new Great Wall of China.

Captain Ma Mingyu was then presented with a chance and his right-foot shot hit Lucio on the back and went behind.

Ronaldinho scored Brazil’s third from the penalty spot just before half-time when Ronaldo was pulled over in the box.

Brazil made a change at the interval with the game won, Scolari taking off Ronaldinho and replacing him with Denilson.

The introduction of the Real Betis midfielder could hardly be said to have weakened Brazil, and he would be a regular for any other country.

It was exhibition time for Brazil, who were knocking the all about with great swagger in the Chinese half.

Ronaldo got in on the act on 55 minutes when he tapped home Cafu’s cross at the back post for Brazil’s fourth.