Korea Advances to Round of 16 After 12 Years, Opponent is FIFA No.1 Brazil

Brazil Lost to Cameroon in Final Group G Match but Advances as Group Leader
Korea vs Brazil Clash on 6th at 4 AM for Quarterfinal Spot

On the morning of the 3rd (Korean time), the Group H third match between South Korea and Portugal was held at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, during the 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage. South Korean players, who succeeded in advancing to the round of 16 by defeating Portugal 2-1, are celebrating and taking a commemorative photo.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Taeguk Warriors' round of 16 opponent is the strong title contender Brazil.

On the 3rd (Korean time), Brazil lost 0-1 to Cameroon in the third match of Group G in the '2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup' held at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Although Brazil controlled the game, they conceded the winning goal in stoppage time of the second half.

Brazil, along with Switzerland, recorded 6 points (2 wins, 1 loss), but secured first place in the group by having a better goal difference despite the loss to Cameroon.

Brazil had already secured advancement to the round of 16. For squad rotation, Brazil rested players like Richarlison, Fabinho, and Vinicius in the starting lineup. Deploying many non-regular players, Brazil faced Cameroon with ease but conceded the winning goal 2 minutes into stoppage time of the second half, losing 0-1.

Although not starters, the power of Samba football was strong. Brazil dominated possession throughout the match, pressing Cameroon, and only failed to score due to the Cameroon goalkeeper's efforts, consistently controlling the game.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Brazil advanced to the round of 16 as the top team in Group G and will face the South Korean national football team, which finished second in Group H. On that day, Korea secured their advancement to the round of 16 with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Portugal.

Korea will face Brazil in a rematch after six months. Previously, in June at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Korea played a friendly against Brazil and suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat, conceding five consecutive goals to Brazil's starters such as Neymar, Richarlison, Jesus, and Coutinho. The match was widely regarded as showing a significant skill gap, and criticism of head coach Paulo Bento's leadership followed.

Korea and Brazil will clash on the 6th at 4 a.m. in Qatar's Doha 974 Stadium, competing for a spot in the quarterfinals.