Brazil ended Ghana's scrappy World Cup debut Tuesday with three streaking goals, the first an early flash by Ronaldo that made him the most prolific scorer in tournament history.
Ronaldo scored his 15th World Cup goal in the fifth minute--breaking Gerd Mueller's all-time tournament scoring record--and hopes his mark goes beyond Brazil's 3-0 win over Ghana.
''I want to continue to increase the record,'' Ronaldo said, ''but without forgetting that the main goal in the World Cup is winning the title.'' Ghana made Brazil work for its 11th straight World Cup win, challenging the five-time champions and outplaying them at times, but the Black Stars' shots were either off the mark or well within reach of goalkeeper Dida.
''We won the game, but the result doesn't show it was not an easy game at all,'' Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. ''The first half they did well, they should have scored. They had chances.'' Brazil took another step toward its fourth straight World Cup finals. It next plays in the quarterfinals against France, which beat Spain 3-1 later Tuesday.
''The big guys are coming to the quarterfinals,'' Parreira said.
''It is getting closer and closer. It's getting tougher and tougher.'' Each of Brazil's goals was built upon long, penetrating passes, including Ronaldo's early score to break Mueller's record.
On the counterattack, Kaka sent a second long pass up the heart of the field to an unmarked Ronaldo, who touched the ball once toward Richard Kingson, then sent the goalkeeper flailing with a step-over. Ronaldo cut left, and with a defender closing, poked the ball into the net.
Ronaldo said he never intended to break the World Cup scoring record.
''It was never my goal, it just happened match after match,'' he said. ''This is the result of lots of work, lots of sacrifice.'' Mueller scored his 14 goals over 13 games in the 1970 and 1974 World Cups; Ronaldo has played 18 games in the past three tournaments.
Ronaldo performed poorly in Brazil's first two matches against Croatia and Australia, when the Real Madrid striker was held scoreless and substituted for twice. He was also bothered by a weight controversy and a string of minor health problems.
One minute into first-half injury time, Adriano added to Brazil's lead in a breakaway set up by a through ball, using his left thigh to nudge a waist-high cross from Cafu into the net. Replays showed Adriano appeared to be offside when he touched the ball into the net, and fans booed the replay.
The third goal also came when a long pass sprang a Brazilian one-on-one against Kingson. Midfielder Ze Roberto received the ball and flicked itoverthe goalkeeper, who left his box and tried to make a save with his head. Safely past, Ze Roberto jogged the ball in alone.
After allowing the early goal, Ghana pushed forward and pressured Brazil. Though the Ghanaians had more scoring chances and outshot the Brazilians 25-21, Dida shut them out with a solid performance.
''They (Ghanaians) faced a great team, the world champions, they are the best in competition, defending champions,'' Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic said. ''It is not a shame to lose to Brazil.'' Ghana striker Matthew Amoah had two good chances in the 24th, first missing a pass from Draman, then shooting wide of the net from the top of the penalty area. Asamoah Gyan came close in the 35th, sending a shot from inside the area over the crossbar, and again in the 69th, when his shot from near the penalty spot was saved.
Dida also stopped Gyan's 79th-minute shot from inside the area.
John Mensah had one of the match's best opportunities with a close-range header in the 42nd, but Dida made a great save with his right leg.
Ghana was physical from the beginning, picking up four yellow cards in the first half and two others in the second.
Gyan was sent off in the 81st for diving, his second yellow. His expulsion extending the World Cup record for red cards to 25.
Ghana, which finished second to Italy in Group E, was trying to become only the third African team to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup after Senegal in 2002 and Cameroon in 1990.
Brazil, which won the title four years ago in South Korea and Japan, is looking for its sixth world title--with good-looking soccer or without it.
''History doesn't talk about the beautiful game, it talks about champions,'' Parreira said. ''We like to play the beautiful game, but we want to win championships. We already have five world championships under our belly and we want to make it six.''
Lineups: Brazil: Dida, Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos, Emerson (Gilbertoda Silva, 46th), Ze Roberto, Kaka (Ricardinho, 83rd), Ronaldinho, Adriano (Juninho, 61st), Ronaldo.
Ghana: Richard Kingson, John Mensah, Emmanuel Pappoe, Illiasu Shilla, John Pantsil, Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, Matthew Amoah (Alex Tachie-Mensah, 70th), Eric Addo (Derek Boateng, 60th), Haminu Draman, Asamoah Gyan.
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