Neymar’s hat-trick lit up a powerful Brazil display against South Africa as the 32 nations taking part in this year’s World Cup finals tested out their squads in friendlies yesterday.
The Barcelona striker took his tally for his country to 30 after Brazil, who changed their strip at half-time from their traditional yellow and white colours to an all-blue kit, took the lead through Oscar after 10 minutes.
Fernandinho made a strong case for World Cup selection on his return to the side with a stunning long-range shot in the 79th minute as the 2014 hosts emphatically dealt with lightweight opponents.
Neymar completed his hat-trick on the stroke of full time with a close-range finish after Jo had played him in with a headed pass from Dani Alves’s ball.
The five-goal loss was the heaviest suffered at home by South Africa, who hosted the last World Cup in 2010.
An 82nd-minute header by Daniel Sturridge was the only moment of quality in a dire performance as a low-key England team squeezed a 1-0 win over Denmark at Wembley.
Elsewhere, Mario Goetze scored against the run of play early in the first half to give Germany a fortunate 1-0 win over fellow World Cup hopefuls Chile while Romania held Argentina to a 0-0 draw in a lively friendly at the National Arena that featured a host of missed chances and good displays from the goalkeepers.
Sturridge, unmarked at the far post, nodded substitute Adam Lallana’s cross beyond the reach of Kasper Schmeichel who had a superb match in goal for Denmark.
England were generally uninspiring against opposition who have failed to reach the World Cup finals this year.
There were, however, promising displays from young Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling and teenage Southampton left-back Luke Shaw.
A razor-sharp Karim Benzema led France to a stylish 2-0 home victory over fellow World Cup finalists the Netherlands.
The French were greatly helped by the miserable performance of the visitors’ defence as the Dutch back four were repeatedly outpaced on a springlike Parisian night.
In-form Benzema opened the scoring with a fierce half volley before Blaise Matuidi doubled the tally with a spectacular volley four minutes before the break.
Russia showed few signs of rust, even though the majority of their players have been sidelined by the domestic league’s winter break, as they secured a 2-0 win over Armenia.
Aleksandr Kokorin missed an early chance to fire the hosts ahead when he was denied by Armenia keeper Roman Berezovski but he made the breakthrough on 21 minutes by turning home Aleksandr Samedov’s cross.
Russia were dominant and doubled their lead from the penalty spot two minutes before half-time after Samedov was fouled.
Dmitri Kombarov slotted past Berezovski to make it 2-0.
Spain beat Italy at Calderon
Diego Costa made a disappointing debut for Spain in a friendly against Italy last night and it was the much livelier Pedro who struck the only goal in a 1-0 victory for the world and European champions.
All eyes were on Brazil-born Costa at Atletico’s Calderon stadium, where he plays his club football, but although he linked up well at times with his new team-mates he did not come close to finding the net.
The heavyweight clash between the last two nations to win the World Cup was predictably dominated by the Spanish and they were rewarded in the 63rd minute when Pedro was first to a loose ball and fired in off goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Summaries
Albania 2
Basha 26; Meha 53;
Malta 0
Austria 1
Janko 14;
Uruguay 1
Pereira 66;
Belgium 2
Fellaini 18; Nainggolan 51;
Ivory Coast 2
Drogba 74; Gradel 90;
Bulgaria 2
Milanov 15; Gadzhev 66;
Belarus 1
Krivets 86;
Cyprus 0
N. Ireland 0
Red card: McAuley (NI) 76.
Czech Rep. 2
Rosicky 11; Vydra 39;
Norway 2
Elyounoussi 21; Pedersen 88;
England 1
Sturridge 82;
Denmark 0
France 2
Benzema 32; Matuidi 41;
Netherlands 0
Germany 1
Goetze 16;
Chile 0
Greece 0
South Korea 2
Park 18; Son 55;
Hungary 1
Rudolf 13;
Finland 2
Pohjanpalo 74; Eremenko 85 pen;
Ireland 1
Long 8;
Serbia 2
McCarthy 48og; Djordjevic 60;
Israel 1
Buzaglo 80;
Slovakia 3
Jakubko 37; Durica 69; Mak 83;
Montenegro 1
Damjanovic 1 pen;
Ghana 0
Poland 0
Scotland 1
Brown 77;
Portugal 5
Ronaldo 21, 83; Meireles 66; Coentrao 67; Edinho 77;
Cameroon 1
Aboubakar 43;
Romania 0
Argentina 0
Russia 2
Kokorin 21; Kombarov 43 pen;
Armenia 0
South Africa 0
Brazil 5
Oscar 10; Neymar 41, 46, 90; Fernandinho 79;
Spain 1
Pedro 63;
Italy 0
Switzerland 2
Drmic 34, 41;
Croatia 2
Olic 39, 55;
Turkey 2
Erdinc 2; Adin 58;
Sweden 1
Toivonen 55;
Ukraine 2
Yarmolenko 12; Devic 68;
USA 0
Wales 3
Collins 12; Vokes 64; Bale 70;
Iceland 1
Gudmundsson 26;
Other results
Algeria vs Slovenia 2-0; Andorra vs Moldova 0-3; Australia vs Ecuador 3-4; Bosnia vs Egypt 0-2; Colombia vs Tunisia 1-1; Georgia vs Liechtenstein 2-0; Gibraltar vs Estonia 0-2; Lithuania vs Kazakhstan 1-1; Macedonia vs Latvia 2-1.