ã Reuters

Brazil emphatically booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals after a mesmerising 4-1 performance which left Chile reeling at the Parc de Princes here on Saturday.

Any notion that last week's group defeat by Norway might prove the precursor to the reigning champions' demise disappeared after barely ten minutes, when Cesar Sampaio took off like a human dart to head home the first goal in a rampaging victory, their 39th in 57 matches against Chile.

Sampaio crashed home a second and Ronaldo hit the third from the spot to bury the Chileans by the break. Brazilian coach Mario Zagallo could already see the trophy in his hands. " The cup is ours,"   he forecast.

And he warned that Ronaldo, despite the fact he scored two goals and twice hit the woodwork, was still not at his best. "He can do better,"  warned Zagallo. Regardless, Ronaldo had a huge grin on his face when he appeared afterwards.

"I'm really happy. I think we were really strong tonight and it proves we are ready to defend our title,"   said the world player of the year, who has now notched three goals at the World Cup. Ronaldo easily won his battle with the Za-Sa partnership of Inter Milan teammate Ivan Zamorano and Lazio-bound Marcelo Salas, who at least grabbed a consolation with a second half header. "Brazil were just far too strong for us in the end although we played quite well," said Salas.

Zamorano was quick to pay tribute to Ronaldo. "When he plays like this he is just unstoppable. There was nothing we could do against him," he sighed.

The Brazilians now face either Nigeria or Denmark, who meet each other on Sunday at the Stade de France, for a place in the semi-finals after giving Zagallo his 12th career win in 12 matches against Chile as both player and coach.

Watched by Brazil's outgoing FIFA President, the world champions were simply irresistible; their first touch, positional sense and running off the ball in a different league to their opponents. The gulf in class was apparent in all departments-to the chagrin of Zamorano, whose main contribution was to claim a role in Chile's goal. Chile started marginally the better and defender Miguel Ramirez sent one ambitious effort screaming over the bar. But Sampaio then decided it was time to crank up the tempo and put Brazil ahead with a goal in the 11th minute. Skipper Dunga swept in a free kick from out on the left and Cesar Sampaio hurled himself forward to bullet home a header which gave Nelson Tapia no chance in the Chilean goal. Sampaio, who plays his club football with Yokohama Flugels in the Japanese J-League, doubled the world champions' advantage on 26 minutes. Roberto Carlos's free-kick effort bounced off the wall, ricocheted off a surprised Bebeto and fell to Cesar Sampaio who rifled home a right foot shot with Tapia, wrong footed, going to the left and the ball to the right.

It was a spectacular return for Sampaio who missed the Norway defeat through suspension.

"The headers against Scotland and tonight are the result of working hard in training at set pieces," Sampaio later revealed. He added he was happy in Japan, although hinted he may soon be Italy-bound. On the stroke of half time it was all over as Brazil went 3-0 ahead with a Ronaldo penalty when the Brazilian was tripped by Tapia at the end of a mazy run, which earned the keeper a yellow card. The half ended on a sour note when AC Milan's Leonardo, returning to his former Paris Saint Germain stamping ground, fouled Miguel Ramirez and was booked as he temporarily left the field on a stretcher. Chile's coach Nelson Acosta tried to stop the rot at half-time by sending on Fabian Estay for Miguel Ramirez and Marcelo Vega for Jose Luis Sierra. But they barely fared any better after the break than before and their only bright moment was Salas' close range header past Taffarel after the keeper has fluffed a Zamorano header. That at least gave Salas, nicknamed the Matador, a record 29th goal for Chile.

Aside from that it was Samba all the way as Ronaldo answered his critics, including former Brazil star Zico, who said he hadn't pulled his weight in the first round, in sensational fashion. But that didn't stop Zagallo giving him flak.

© - AFP - 1998