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WEIFANG, China, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Brazil' s Desportivo Brasil thrashed China U-19 National Team 4-1 here on Saturday to win the championship of the 10th Luneng Weifang Cup International Youth Football Tournament.
The Brazilian team, who reached the final with four wins including a 2-0 victory over China U-19 during the group stage, made a miraculous start with an early goal in the fourth minute by Mauro Jaqueson Junior Ferreira dos Santos, who, after receiving a long-range passing from the midfield, flicked the ball over China' s goalkeeper.
Failing to clear a throw-in from Desportivo, the Chinese side conceded another goal in the 31st minute as Luis Henrique Martins dos Santos netted in a rebound after Robert Luis Pardo' s attempt hit the post.
The Chinese were awarded several set pieces in the first half but seized none of them. Their best chance came in the 41st minute but Desportivo goalkeeper touched Guo Tianyu' s header receiving a free-kick over the crossbar.
China' s hope for a coming back further diminished as Vinicius Henrique de Oliveira' s flash and powerful pounce on a loose ball from China' s goalkeeper, who already did his utmost to save a right-footed cannon by Martins dos Santos from close-range, hit the crossbar and deflected into the net.
As the game proceeded into the 76th minute, Robert Luis Pardo, playing with total ease as his team was leading by three goals, cleverly lobbed the ball past China' s goalkeeper from outside the goalmouth and scored the fourth goal, which only added to the Brazilians' ecstasy.
China U-19 was awarded a penalty in the 89th and Yang Liyu prevented the team from suffering a goalless humiliation.
"We experienced a lot of difficulties while preparing for the Weifang Cup but overcame all of them with confidence," Desportivo coach Adailton Ladeira said. "There were a lot of strong teams but we fought till the end and won the championship."
Ladeira added that he hoped he could bring more players to the tournament next year. "We brought only 18 players this year and were not even able organize intra-team games during the training sessions."
Desportivo midfielder Ferreira dos Santos was named player of the tournament. According to Tan Chaohui, managing vice president of Luneng Taishan Football School,the rising star has already signed a transfer deal with FC Eindhoven and will be playing for the Dutch club from next year on.
As part of its overseas strategy, Shandong Luneng FC, to which Tan' s school is affiliated, bought Desportivo Brasil in July 2014 "with a price that didn' t cost us much," Tan said, adding that the deal has not only benefited Luneng' s youth training, but also saved the Brazilian club from the brink of bankruptcy.
