Neymar dazzled in his return from injury, leading Brazil to a 4-1 victory over South Korea. The Brazilian team gave the underdogs no chance, taking a two-goal lead by the 13th minute. Practically the entire squad turned in quality performances, with Lucas Paqueta and Vinicius Junior also impressing in the attacking third.
Alisson – 8.5
Just as it seemed that Brazil was pulling away, Alisson made a wonderful save after Hwang Hee-chan ripped a beautiful shot from outside the box. The goalkeeper somehow got a hand onto the ball that was headed for the upper corner, and Brazil rolled through the rest of the match.
Marquinhos – 8
From his role at centre-back, Marquinhos played well in the air. At times, South Korea’s pace seemed to threaten the backline, but they failed to convert any of their few chances.
Thiago Silva – 8
Despite South Korea’s inability to threaten the backline, Silva had a solid day defending. He also picked up an assist on one of Brazil’s many first-half goals.
Eder Militao – 7
The left-back did not see as much of the ball as some of his cohorts, but his defensive contribution was of a high quality. He played further back, staying reserved to protect against possible Korean counter attacks.
Danilo – 7
Danilo made impressive contributions to Brazil’s offense, passing the ball well while facilitating fast breaks from the defensive third.
Casemiro – 7.5
Casemiro played a fairly reserved role in the defensive midfield. During the few times that South Korea got on the ball in the attacking third, he restricted the space in front of the centre-backs and rerouted the ball to the wings.
Lucas Paqueta – 9
Paqueta played a great game in the midfield, winning tackles and helping spark fast breaks for his country. His defensive contributions made it practically impossible for South Korea to attack through the centre. He also added a late first-half goal to increase Brazil’s lead to four.
Raphinha – 9
The winger was dynamic in the right channel. Raphinha had his way against full-back Kim Jin-su, as he was able to create ample time and space while on the ball.
Vinicius Junior – 9
Boosted by an extra day of rest, the Real Madrid man had a day on the left wing. On Brazil’s opening goal, he found himself in space in the box and calmly converted when he received the ball. He was by far the best player on the pitch, creating attack after attack with his speed and skill.
Neymar – 8.5
After missing 11 days with an ankle injury, Neymar returned to the Brazil starting lineup in style. Richarlison won an early penalty, and the forward had no problem converting from the spot. Throughout the match, he showed off his creative talents and helped drive the offense forward.
Richarlison – 9
Early on, Brazil’s number nine did well stepping in front of an attempted clearance from the box, which resulted in a penalty (albeit a weak one). Later, he scored a nice goal to essentially wrap-up the match for his country.
Brazil legends Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Ronaldo watching their country put on a show ??? pic.twitter.com/ZuL5WWxmZG
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 5, 2022