U-20 FIFA World Cup: Brazil into South American clash

Brazil players celebrate one of their goals against North Korea this afternoon. Photo / Getty Images

Brazil set up an all-South American clash with Uruguay at the Under-20 World Cup after this afternoon battling to see off North Korea.

After edging Nigeria and Hungary in their opening two group E encounters, Brazil repeated the formula in their final match of pool play in Christchurch.

They weren't as clinical as some might have expected against one of the tournament's minnows, but they did enough to grab three points and advance to the second stage with a perfect record.

Brazil were held scoreless in the first half against a side that had conceded nine goals in two fixtures, monopolising possession but lacking a lethal edge in front of goal. Marcos Guilherme squandered his side's best chance, hitting the post with the whole goal to aim at, before again striking the woodwork with a curled drive in the second spell.

When the breakthrough did arrive, it came without any of the flair typically associated with Brazilian football, as Min Hyo Song's heavy deflection on a speculative strike left his goalkeeper stranded.

But Brazil did soon demonstrate some beauty, with Jean Carlos' delightful footwork inside the box resulting in one of the goals of the tournament, before Leo Pereira's late header added gloss to the scoreline.

Brazil will now face Uruguay in the round-of-16 in New Plymouth and, having suffered defeat and been held to a scoreless draw by that opposition at the South American Youth Football Championship earlier in the year, the Selecao could head into that clash as underdogs.