Brazil waltz into second round

If the World champions were guilty of taking their foot off the pedal in the last half-hour, it was scarcely a surprise.

Norway’s 1-1 draw with Scotland has ensured Brazil will top the group and their final first round game against the Norwegians will only affect their opponents’ fortunes.

Brazil coach Mario Zagallo was better pleased with his team’s performance than during last week’s 2-1 win over Scotland.

"We played much better than we did against Scotland. We were far happier and much more powerful and more efficient," Zagallo said.

Only in the first quarter did Brazil really turn on the style, however, andopponents looking for chinks in their armour will suspect they still have plenty left in reserve.

For Morocco, who never approached the heights of their opening game against Norway, a nervous showdown with Scotland in St Etienne looms next Tuesday.

Ronaldo, by his standards enduring a lean patch with no goals in his last four appearances in a Brazilian shirt, set the tone in the ninth minute, collecting a diagonal ball from Rivaldo just outside the arc of the penalty area before beating goalkeeper Driss Benzekri with ominous ease.

Brazil might have been two up by then, only a hairline offside decision ruling out Leonardo’s left-foot effort from another Rivaldo through pass in the third minute.

All Morocco could realistically do was hang on and Said Chiba’s clumsy lunge at Ronaldo’s thigh, lucky not to earn him a yellow card, hinted at African desperation.

Bypassed in midfield and under pressure at the back, Michel’s team were killed off in the second minute of first half injury time. Full-back Cafuescaped once again down the right and Rivaldo finished nonchalantly from six metres out.

Bebeto’s 50th minute effort, the result of excellent approach work from Ronaldo, was predictable and allowed Brazil to sit back and avoid any mishaps.

Chiba, meanwhile, did finally pick up a second yellow card which rules him out for the game against Scotland next Tuesday. Cesar Sampaio was also booked for a second time and will miss the Norway game.