Beijing: A brilliant first-half hat-trick by Cristiane saw 2004 silver medallists Brazil book their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Nigeria here on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old struck her triple in a 15 minute purple patch after Nigeria had opened the scoring from the penalty spot through Perpetua Nkwocha in the 19th minute.
Nigeria made the early running as Brazil failed to get out of the gate.
The Nigerians lively midfielder Sarah Michael had two early efforts, one in the ninth minute from long range was beaten away by the diving Brazilian goalkeeper Barbara.
Michael should have done better in the 13th minute when having done well to turn a defender inside out she was one on one with Barbara but her tame shot was turned away for a corner.
However, the Africans took the lead in the 19th minute as they were awarded a penalty by Korean referee Hong Eun-Ah and Nkwocha tucked it away into the far right hand corner.
The Brazilians, though, levelled in the 33rd minute as Nkwocha was beaten out on the left by Rosana and the Brazilian fullback, who plays for Austrian side Neulengbach, produced the perfect cross for Cristiane to head past Precious Dede.
Remarkably the Brazilians were ahead two minutes later as Nigeria failed to clear inside their box and Cristiane, who plays in Sweden for Linkopings, produced an audacious and stunning overhead kick which looped over a stranded Dede.
Cristiane rounded off a quite superb last 15 minutes of the first-half with her third in time added on as Maycon set her up, and criminally unmarked she stroked it home past a helpless Dede.
Nigeria tried to make a fist of it in the second-half but they could only muster their first shot on the hour mark as Michael teed up Rita Chikwelu, but her shot was a weak one and was easily saved by Barbara.
Cristiane almost had her fourth in the 65th minute but her goalbound shot was superbly tipped way for a corner by Dede.
Only brave last ditch defending by Cynthia Uwak prevented Brazil extending their lead 10 minutes from time as Lyon's Simone twisted and turned in the box and homed in on Dede, only for Uwak to deflect her close range effort for a corner.
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