Brazil progressed to the last 16 of this year’s tournament with a 100% record in Group E after a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica.
The World Cup veterans had already confirmed their passage to the next stage in their previous outing so made six changes to their side, leaving out the experienced Marta and Formiga.
A win for Costa Rica would have seen them finish the group stages in second place, but as it was, they finished outside the automatic qualification positions and with only two points, this wasn’t enough to see them through as one of the best third placed finishers.
Brazil left it late to score but Raquel Fernades made sure her side’s confidence was high heading into the last 16, scoring in the 83rd minute to bag her fourth international goal.
Brazil will now face Australia on Sunday in Moncton, with a victory setting up a quarter final encounter with either the Netherlands or current world champions Japan.
South Korea also booked their place in the next round of the competition with a 2-1 win over Spain.
Spain opened the scoring through captain Veronica Boquete, but two goals for South Korea in the second half saw them progress out the group stages for the first time in their history.
A win for either side would have seen them in to the knockouts and Spain looked to be the team on top in the opening exchanges of the match, taking the lead within the first half an hour when 23-year-old Marta Corredera powered towards the by-line before pulling the ball back for Bayern Munich’s newest recruit Boquete to lash home.
A wake-up call at half time for South Korea proved inspirational and on 53 minutes they levelled through Cho Sohyun who did well to get on the end of a Kang Yumi cross, heading in from close range.
Their second of the game was a little more unorthodox, as a looping cross from defender Kim Sooyun caught out Spanish goalkeeper Ainhoa Tirapu and sailed in over her head with just 12 minutes left to play.
Spain franticly went looking for an equaliser, and had their best chance with the last kick of the game. But unfortunately it wasn’t to be their day as Sonia Bermudez’s free-kick hit the crossbar, sending the European side out of their debut World Cup tournament at the first stage.
South Korea will now take on France, who are ranked third in the world, on Sunday and will face another difficult game against either Germany or Sweden if they win.
