Match ends, South Africa 0, Brazil 5.
South AfricaSouth Africa0BrazilBrazil5
A Neymar hat-trick helped Brazil to a seventh successive win as they thrashed South Africa in Johannesburg.
The Barcelona striker, 22, fired in an angled drive after Oscar had chipped the 2002 World Cup winners ahead.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side changed from a yellow to blue strip at half-time and Neymar scored from a tight angle 26 seconds after the break.
Willian and Dani Alves went close, Fernandinho scored from long-range and Neymar combined with Jo for his third.
Neymar, Barcelona's record-signing, hit an international hat-trick in an 8-0 win over China in 2012.
His second treble came 99 days before the start of the World Cup in Brazil and the five-time winners kept up their impressive form ahead of the tournament in devastating fashion at Soccer City.
Manager Scolari suffered a testing run of form after succeeding Mano Menezes as manager in November 2012, but has now guided Brazil to 13 victories in 14 matches - a run which saw them win the Confederations Cup.
They go into this summer's World Cup as favourites and face Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon in Group A.
South Africa - World Cup hosts in 2010 - contributed to their visitors' early dominance with some lacklustre defending and Chelsea's Oscar latched onto Hulk's pass to lift the ball over goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Neymar was denied by a tipped save, but doubled the advantage on 41 minutes with a driven shot from the left side of the area.
The former Santos front man coolly lifted the ball over Williams when one-on-one for his second and Willian came within inches of adding Brazil's fourth just seconds later as his shot flew wide.
Fernandinho, playing in his sixth game for the national side, notched a first international goal when he pounced on a poor clearance to smash home from outside the box.
And Brazil - who get the 2014 World Cup under way against Croatia in Sao Paulo - completed the scoring when Neymar linked with former Manchester City striker Jo to condemn South Africa to their biggest ever home defeat.
Line-ups
South Africa
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Williams
- 5Ngcongca
- 11Matlaba
- 25JaliSubstituted forZunguat 55'minutes
- 14KhumaloSubstituted forXuluat 20'minutes
- 4Nthethe
- 19ClaasenSubstituted forNdlovuat 52'minutes
- 15Furman
- 23RantieSubstituted forManyisaat 45'minutes
- 10Serero
- 17ParkerSubstituted forPatosiat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Meyiwa
- 2Xulu
- 3Mokeke
- 6Kekana
- 7Mbatha
- 8Tshabalala
- 9Ndlovu
- 12Zungu
- 18Patosi
- 20Manyisa
- 21Mkhwanazi
Brazil
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 12Soares De Espindola
- 5Ferreira de Souza
- 6MarceloSubstituted forAlves da Silvaat 58'minutes
- 18PaulinhoSubstituted forDiasat 45'minutes
- 3Thiago Silva
- 4David LuizSubstituted forCosta Santosat 64'minutes
- 7Vieira de SouzaSubstituted forWillianat 45'minutes
- 8Fernandinho
- 9Chaves GuedesSubstituted forde Assis Silvaat 62'minutes
- 11OscarSubstituted forSantos do Nascimentoat 45'minutesBooked at 75mins
- 10Neymar
Substitutes
- 1de Oliveira Galvao
- 2Alves da Silva
- 13Costa Santos
- 14Willian
- 16Santos do Nascimento
- 17Dias
- 20Bernard
- 21de Assis Silva
- Referee:
- Antonio Caxala
Match Stats
Home TeamSouth AfricaAway TeamBrazil
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, South Africa 0, Brazil 5.
Post update
Foul by Neymar (Brazil).
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Thabo Nthethe (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! South Africa 0, Brazil 5. Neymar (Brazil) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jô with a headed pass.
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Corner, Brazil. Conceded by Anele Ngcongca.
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Attempt blocked. Neymar (Brazil) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Thiago Silva.
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Dangerous play by Dani Alves (Brazil).
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Matthew Oupa Manyisa (South Africa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Rafinha (Brazil).
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Ayanda Patosi (South Africa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Fernandinho (Brazil) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Willian.
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Ramires (Brazil) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ayanda Patosi (South Africa).
Goal!
Goal! South Africa 0, Brazil 4. Fernandinho (Brazil) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner.
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Attempt missed. Ayanda Patosi (South Africa) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Thabo Matlaba.
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Attempt missed. Neymar (Brazil) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Dani Alves.
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Offside, South Africa. Thulani Serero tries a through ball, but Dino Ndlovu is caught offside.
Booking
Ramires (Brazil) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ramires (Brazil).
