Brazil faces off South Korea in the last 16 with Neymar back in the game.
Brazil's got the ball so far, looking alert to exploit early holes in South Koreans' defense.
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The players are out of the tunnel. Neymar out in the glistening yellow gear. We're yet to see an upset in the knockout stages. Neymar and Danilo's return won't help South Korea, but we'll see. Fun-fact: Neymar apparently told the Korean players he will sign their jerseys if they don't foul him.
Line-ups:
Brazil: Alisson, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Danilo, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Junior, Richarlison.
South Korea: Kim Seung-gyu, Kim Moon-hwan, Kim Min-jae, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Jin-su, Lee Jae-sung, Jung Woo-young, Jeong Woo-yeong, Hwang In-beom, Son Heung-min (captain), Hwang Hee-chan, Cho Gue-sung.
Referee: Clement Turpin (France).
Pre-match talks: Neymar told the Korean players he will sign their jerseys if they don't foul him, via globosport.
Pre-match briefing: 5-time winner Brazil takes on South Korea, who sensationally reached the last 16, with Hwang Hee-chan's last-minute winner against Portugal. Brazil's star player Neymar and full-back Danilo are set to return after missing the last two games. Today's first game between Japan and Croatia ended in a dramatic finish. But The Atheltic partnered with Nielsen's Gracenote predicts a similar story for the next game:
In 90 minutes— Brazil to win: 64 per cent; South Korea to win: 14 per cent; Draw: 22 per cent
To ultimately progress to the quarter-final—Brazil: 77 per cent; South Korea: 23 per cent
Leading scorers in each team: Brazil: Richarlison, 2 goals, C. Gue-sung 2 goals.
History:
5-time champion Brazil have progressed from each of their last seven Round of 16 matches at the World Cup. Only once in 2014 against Chile, they failed to win in normal time and advanced via penalties.
The two sides have met seven times previously, but never at a World Cup, with Brazil winning on six occasions and South Korea once, in a friendly in 1999. In a friendly in June this year played in Seoul, Brazil won 5-1.
South Korea have never beaten a South American team in the World Cup before.
South Korea are the only Asian country to have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, when they were co-hosts in 2002. They have won one two of the five games they've played at knock-out stages. In 2002, they beat Italy 2-1 in the Round of 16 in one of the most controversial games in the history of the World Cup.
Previous meetings: The two sides have met seven times previously, but never at a World Cup, with Brazil winning on six occasions and South Korea once, in a friendly in 1999. In a friendly in June this year played in Seoul, Brazil won 5-1.
