Liverpool star Roberto Firmino scored twice as Brazil hammer Bolivia 5-0 in their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers opening match.

Fourth-time World Champions had never lost a World Cup qualifier at home, a run that stood at 54 matches going into Friday’s game, and they never looked in danger of losing that record.

PSG defender Marquinhos put the home side 1-0 up with a header after 16 minutes before Firmino scored after 18 and 49 minutes, both times by getting on the end of low crosses into the penalty box.

Firmino grabbed Brazil’s second and third goals of the evening, taking his overall tally for the South American nation to 15 goals in 45 appearances.

The fourth came after 66 minutes when a glancing touch from Rodrygo deflected off defender Jose Maria Carrasco’s shoulder and Philippe Coutinho completed the rout with a header seven minutes later.

The top four teams in the 10-team South American group qualify directly for Qatar 2022 and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional play-off.

Brazil now travel to Lima to face Peru on Tuesday, while Bolivia are at home the same day to Argentina, who opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador on Thursday.

source:- fcnaija