DORTMUND, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Brazil finally impressed with a 4-1 superb victory at their last round robin match against Japan here on Thursday and further ensured a place in the last 16 of the World Cup after topping the Group F on 9 points with three wins from as many matches.

    The five-time World Cup champions, having been sitting comfortably atop the group with their unspectacular 1-0 win over Croatia and a 2-0 victory over Australia, scored through double-scorer Ronaldo, Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto to deny an earlier 1-0 lead by Japan, and substituted Kaka and Ronaldinho with 20 minutes remaining. 

    All-time leading scorer of Brazil Ronaldo thus became the joint highest scorer in World Cup finals history with 14 goals as he scored twice against Japan, alongside Gerd Mueller of Germany.

    "Ronaldo has been playing for the good moment. He might not be playing today in the best physical condition, and I hope he'll perform much better and score more goals in next phase," said Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

    "I'm very happy I've made such a significant improvement physically and technically during the competition," said Ronaldo.

    "Patience is the key word. I managed to stay calm and patient in all the difficult moments," he added.

    After Thursday's match, Brazil, who have made appearances in all the past 17 editions of the tournament and won it in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002, extended a winning streak in the World Cup to ten victories.

    They will next take Ghana in the first match of next round on Tuesday after the World Cup debutants from West Africa overcame the United States 2-1 earlier on the day to survive the Group E as the runners-up next to Italy.

    Meanwhile, Japan, failing to repeat a superb performance of making the second-round in 2002, have been ruled out a slim chance to reach the knockout stages with only one point from the World Cup round robin, also losing 3-1 to Australia and drawing 0-0 with Croatia.

    "It's a very disappointing result to take, but the way we lost the first game against Australia (3-1) shows what a tough business football can be," said Japan's coach Zico.

    The former Brazilian soccer star's side had needed a two-goal win from the defending champions to keep alive.

    Tamada Keiji scored the surprising goal for Japan in 34 minutes as he was picked out supremely by Alex with a cross into the Brazil box and lofted the ball delightfully past Dida to the up and close corner of the net.

    Ronaldo equalised it with the final touch of the half, heading in his 13th World Cup goal at the far corner on the 46th minute.

    Juninho then put the defending champions further ahead, launching a stab from distance at 53 and the ball curled and looped and totally evaded Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi's clutches en route to the back of the net.

    Just six minutes later, Gilberto rifled home an absolute cracker as Japan continued to struggle. Ronaldinho was the chief creator as he sent Gilberto sprinting clear, who rather than picking out Ronaldo in the box fired the ball straight along the ground to make it 3-1.

    And there came the second goal of Brazil's all-time scorer Ronaldo for this game with 9 minutes on the clock, when the Real Madrid star unleashed an absolute beauty swiveling into the back of the net, leaving Japanese goalie Kawaguchi just could do little. Enditem