DPA
Doha
With top star Neymar back in the team, a brilliant Brazil gave South Korea no chance and cruised to the Qatar World Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 win on Monday.
Brazil will now meet Croatia, who advanced earlier after beating Japan 3-1 in a dramatic shoot-out following a 1-1 draw.
Vinicius Junior kicked-off the Brazilian gala after receiving a low cross from Raphinha in the seventh minute, and Neymar, returning from injury after missing two games, doubled their lead from the spot in the 13th.
Richarlison did magic in the 29th as he scored another stunner after his bicycle kick finish in their opener against Serbia, and Lucas Paqueta with a first-time finish sealed the quarter-final spot still in the first half.
Brazil even missed other good chances, leaving the feeling that they could have scored twice as much as they did before the break.
In the second half, the team coached by Tite slowed down the pace, but still saw Raphinha being denied twice from close range by keeper Kim Seung-Gyu.
South Korea pulled one back in the 76th from a stunning long-distance shot from Paik Seung-Ho and, even though they forced keeper Alisson to make some excellent saves, the goal came too late for a comeback.
"We dream with the world title and must now go forward step by step.
We're well prepared for that," Neymar told Brazilian broadcasters Globo TV.
Team-mate Vinicius Junior added: "We're growing in the competition, we're getting more confident. Today we faced a team that gave us a lot of space." The Real Madrid player didn't tremble when he was face to face with keeper Kim Seung-Gyu and finished off Raphinhas's low cross to give the five-time record champions the earlier lead.
It didn't take long for them to find the net again as Neymar scored his first goal in Qatar from the spot after Richarlison was brought down by Jung Woo-Young.
Neymar had missed the group stage games against Switzerland and Cameroon after suffering an ankle injury in their opener against Serbia. The team's top star, however, was fit in time to start in the last 16 clash.
"I was afraid I wouldn't make it. I was really worried I wouldn't be able to continue, but the recovery work has paid off," the Paris Saint-Germain forward said.
South Korea sparked some danger in the 17th, when Hwang Hee-Chan forced Alisson to make a big save, but that was their only good chance in the first half.
Richarlison, who scored a beautiful goal against Serbia, then added another stunner to his name in the 29th. He started off a beautiful ping-pong build-up with some ball juggling, and was then found by Casemiro to slot it home.
Lucas Paqueta in the 36th practically put the game to bed with a first-time strike in the 36th to complete Vinicius Junior's assist.
After the break, Raphinha was denied twice by Kim Seung-Gyu as Brazil seemed to have started saving energy for the quarter-final clash against Croatia.
South Korea were dangerous again in the 70th, as Hwang Hee-chan's powerful half-volley forced Alisson to make an excellent save, just five minutes before Paik Seung-Ho found the back of the net, as his side said goodbye to the World Cup.
"It was a difficult match as we expected. We knew we were going to face a very strong team," South Korea coach Paulo Bento said.
"Obviously our mission got a bit more complicated with an early goal conceded. After that, every time the got close to the goal, they scored," Bento added.
After the game, the Brazilian players paid a tribute to football great Pele, holding a banner with his picture.
"I don't know what I should say. I wish him all the best, hope he gets better as soon as possible and that he can be happy with the win today," Neymar said, with Vinicius Junior adding "today's victory was for Pele." The three-time World Cup winner made the headlines over the past days due to grave concerns over his health after the Folha de Sao Paulo paper reported Saturday that the 82-year-old had been transferred to a palliative ward in a local hospital because chemotherapy was no longer bringing results.
His family, however, dismissed speculation that the Brazilian football icon was close to death.
# Notebook ## Update ## Note to editors - adds details, quotes - dpa photos * * * * The following information is not intended for publication ## Editorial contacts - Reporting by: Nathalia Araújo in Berlin, Nils Bastek in Doha - Editing by: Nathalia Araújo, dpa naj