Brazil marches on at Copa America after crushing Peru
Brazil is off to the Copa America quarterfinals following a one-sided 5-0 victory over Peru on Saturday in Sao Paulo, where the host side benefited from some favorable bounces and dreadful goalkeeping.
Casemiro nodded his team ahead in the 12th minute from close range after Thiago Silva's glancing header off a Philippe Coutinho corner fell to the Real Madrid midfielder. The goal was the first scored by Brazil in the opening half at this year's Copa America.
Roberto Firmino then doubled Brazil's advantage in the 19th minute in a moment that will provide certain nightmare fuel for Peru's Pedro Gallese. Firmino leaped to deflect the 'keeper's casual clearance, looping the ball into the air, off the post, and again over the head of Gallese, who could only watch as the Liverpool star juked and slotted a no-look finish into La Blanquirroja's net.
Everton made it three for the Selecao 13 minutes later when the in-form Gremio attacker struck a bounding effort from outside the area that snuck in at the near post past Gallese.
A partisan affair became a full-scale blowout in the 54th minute. Selecao full-back Dani Alves played give-and-go with Arthur and then Firmino before firing one past Gallese. The damage was done by the time Willian deposited a curling effort into the top corner on the stroke of 90 minutes to make it 5-0.
Venezuela will join its Group A foe in the knockout round after the Vinotinto secured the second spot in the quartet with a 3-1 win over Bolivia in Belo Horizonte.
Rafael Dudamel's charges set the tone early when Darwin Machis cut in front of his marker to meet Roberto Rosales' cross with a headed finish.
Machis cemented the result nine minutes after the interval when the Udinese attacker, who spent last season on loan at Cadiz, darted a deflected right-footed effort just inside the 18-yard box and beyond the reach of diving Bolivia 'keeper Carlos Lampe.
Atlanta United star Josef Martinez and Leonel Justiniano exchanged late goals, the latter being a consolation in the form of Bolivia's first of the tournament.
Venezuela has progressed beyond the group stage for just the sixth time in 18 tries, with four of those coming over the last five contests.
Four quarterfinal spots are now sorted, as Brazil and Venezuela accompany Colombia and Chile in the last eight after the two continental giants secured progression earlier in the week, while Peru is forced to wait on remaining group-stage fixtures to nick one of two third-placed progressions.