Carnival, cheers for Ronaldo as Brazil rout Japan

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, June 23 (Reuters) To the beat of samba drums and the honking of yellow-and-green horns, Brazil exploded into a giant party as its World Cup soccer team beat Japan 4-1.

The victory, which took Brazil to the round of 16 in Germany, was a relief for the five-time champions after they made hard work of winning their first two games and even went a goal down to Japan before hitting their stride.

Striker Ronaldo, who had been criticised for being fat and not playing well, redeemed himself with two goals yesterday.

''Brazil were excellent. Ronaldo was brilliant. Everyone is now praising him,'' said Daniele Barbosa, 30, an events organiser, who wore a tight green top.

Barbosa was one of about 1,000 people who crammed an amphitheater with two big screens on top of the Morro da Urca hill, next to the famed Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Rio de Janeiro's normally crowded Copacabana Beach looked like a desert during the game as thousands of beach-goers retreated to nearby bars to watch the match broadcast live from Dortmund, Germany. Offices closed around lunch-time and the city center was emptier than on a holiday weekend.

In South America's biggest city of Sao Paulo, which has the world's largest community of Japanese immigrants and their descendants, some 500 people gathered in the Japanese Culture center. But even there allegiances were split.

''I support Japan because Brazil doesn't need more support,'' said Yoji Kasegawa, 22. Still, the Brazil-born Japanese wore a Brazil shirt.

Tamiro Ogawa, a 44-year-old journalist living in Brazil for 10 years, wore a yellow shirt but had a red-and-white Japanese flag stuck on her face.

''I started rooting for Japan, but there's always a place for Brazil in my heart ... Brazil are very good,'' she said.

Residents blocked streets to traffic as they watched the game on TV sets connected to extension cables and grilled meat over barbecues.

''Brazil are doing what they do best -- playing and winning and we do what we do best -- supporting them, grilling meat and drinking beer,'' said Afonso Veiga, a 27-year-old veterinarian, wearing a jester's hat and the national team's shirt.

REUTERS VJ BST0536