22 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.yahoo.com



Brazil made sure of first place in Group F as they came from behind to beat Japan 4-1 through goals from Ronaldo (2), Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto in Dortmund on Thursday, 22 June 2006.
The world champions can now look forward to a Round of 16 meeting with Ghana in Kaiserslautern on 26 June following their third straight victory at Germany 2006. For Japan, this was their second defeat in three matches and left them bottom of the section with one point.

The star of the show was Ronaldo, who scored his 13th and 14th FIFA World Cup goals to move level with German legend Gerd Muller as the tournament's all-time leading scorer. He headed Brazil level in first-half injury time to cancel out Keiji Tamada's fine 34th-minute opener for Japan.

Then, after Juninho Pernambucano (53 minutes) and Gilberto (59') had struck superb goals to seize control of the match for Brazil, Ronaldo had the final word as he made it 4-1 nine minutes before the end.





34':Zico's men did not have to wait much longer, though. Alessandro Santos played a fine pass through to the unmarked Tamada who drilled his shot high into the net to spark pandemonium in the stands.



45':However, just when it looked like Japan would carry the lead into the half-time break, Brazil struck. Ronaldinho crossed for Cicinho to head back across goal, where Ronaldo ghosted into space to nod home.



53':Brazil, though, were soon ahead. Such was the power in Juninho's 25-yard drive that, even with Kawaguchi well placed, it dipped, swerved and sped away from his grasp.



59':It was 3-1 not soon after. Ronaldinho sent Gilberto scampering through and the left-back coolly drilled his shot low into the far corner.