Brazil came into the Round of 16 showdown with South Korea looking to make the final eight of the World Cup for their eighth consecutive time. And the men in yellow opened the scoring in just the seventh minute.
A run with the ball from Raphina set things up, fooling the Korean defenders into watching the ball rather than tracking other Brazilian runners and pulling three of them out of position.
The ball reached Vincius Junior at the far post, who sent it to the back of the net. Fans didn't have to wait long for a sequel - although, this time, the Koreans were unlucky.
Trying to move the ball out of defence from his own penalty area, Jung Woo-Young swung at the ball but also kicked Brazilian striker Richarlison .The resulting penalty was converted by superstar Neymar with typical flair. Two-nil Brazil in just the 13th minute.
12 minutes later Richarlison put the ball into the back of the net after Thiago Silva's pass to make the score three-nil - and the game wasn't yet half an hour old. Brazil scored again just seven minutes later from a midfielder Lucas Paqueta volley.
Four-nil after 36 minutes and the game, for all intents and purposes, was over. Paik Seung-Ho salvaged a little for the men in red with a goal in the 76th minute but that was as close as the Koreans got. Four goals to one the final score and Brazil is into the quarter-finals in devastating fashion.
Earlier in the day, Group E winners Japan confronted Group F runners-up Croatia.
Japan started the game well and were rewarded in the 43rd minute when a cross from Ritsu Doan set up Dazen Maeda to score. One-nil to the Samurai Blue.
That didn't last long, though. A cross from Croatia was met by a powerful header by Ivan Perisic, which found the back of the net. One-all was the result at the end of the second half.
Thirty minutes of extra time ensued for the first time in this World Cup
The teams began to tire. A chance to score for Croatia very late in extra time was missed and it was soon time for a penalty shootout.
Croatia's goalkeeper, Dominik Livakovic, matched the number one on his shirt with the quality of his play, saving the first two Japanese penalty shots and helping Croatia go up, two-nil.
Takuma Asano steadied Japan by scoring with their third kick. Marko Livaja hit a post with Croatia's third kick and missed.
Up stepped defender Maya Yoshida for Japan's fourth kick, and once again, Livakovic did his job. And Mario Pasalic has succeeded to score the penalty for Croatia and confirm their place in Quarterfinal against Brazil.
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