Denmark vs. Brazil: Score and Reaction from 2016 Olympic Men's Soccer

With their chances of advancement hanging in the balance, Brazil secured a vital 4-0 win over Denmark on Wednesday in the group stage of the 2016 Summer Olympics men's soccer tournament.

Gabriel "Gabigol" Barbosa registered a brace, while Gabriel Jesus and Luan also got on the scoresheet. Not only was this the best Brazil had looked in their first three matches at the Olympics, it's the best they've looked in a long time.

The Selecao have yet to fully break out of the funk caused by their 7-1 defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup. This point may not be the nadir of Brazilian football, but the country's early exits in the last two Copa Americas, coupled with a sluggish start to the Olympics, led to continued questions about the national team.

It's impossible for the players to be immune from the burden of expectation, and Brazil's determination to get three points was clear once the match began.

Earlier in the tournament, the hosts displayed a level of desperation that manifested itself in a negative way. Particularly in their 0-0 draw with Iraq, Brazil adopted a direct approach in order to try to find the go-ahead goal. Iraq's well-organized defense beat the Selecao back at every opportunity.

On Wednesday night, Brazil were a far more efficient side, and a big reason why was their balance of patience and aggression when in possession.

Their performance mirrored the senior team's 3-0 win over Spain in the 2013 Confederations Cup final. Brazil blitzed the then-reigning world and European champions with a high-pressure style and displayed a lethal touch in the final third.

From the opening whistle against Denmark, Brazil played with a purpose. They constantly pressed the Danish back line, and the strategy was paying immediate dividends. Rodrigo Caio had a shot saved in the 14th minute. Ten minutes later, Jesus nearly gave Brazil a 1-0 lead, but his volley hit the side netting.

After over 200 minutes of scoreless soccer at the Olympics, Gabigol finally got Brazil on the board in Rio de Janeiro. Douglas Santos' cross from the left eluded Luan, but the Santos forward was there to pounce on the pass.

The Dirty Tackle's Brooks Peck had some fun with Brazil's since-erased scoring drought:

Brazil's second goal came from another cross—this time from the right. Jesus put the hosts ahead 2-0 in the 40th minute. Luan's delivery was placed perfectly just outside the six-yard box, while the Manchester City-bound man did well to lose his marker and leave himself with an easy finish.

Brazilian football writer Rupert Fryer noted the 19-year-old looked relieved after scoring the goal:

Luan removed any doubt about the result with a goal in the 50th minute. It was an excellent piece of team play as Neymar's pass over the top to Douglas attracted the attention of the Danish defense. Douglas then quickly passed the ball across to Luan, who finished smartly before Denmark goalkeeper Jeppe Hojbjerg could get back in position.

FoxSports.com's Aaron West thought the Gremio forward had been one of the best players on the pitch:

"

Sign Luan up. That boy has been on fire already tonight. #Rio2016 #BRA

— Aaron West (@ayyy_west) August 11, 2016"

BeIN Sports' Ray Hudson sees Luan moving on to bigger and better things down the road:

Gabigol added a fourth for Brazil in the 80th minute for good measure.

The Press Association's Simon Peach didn't think the timing of Brazil's dominant showing could've been any better:

Brazil went from the brink of elimination Wednesday to qualifying for the quarterfinals. They finished at the top of Group A with five points. Despite the defeat, Denmark qualified as well with four points after Iraq and South Africa drew 1-1.

The Brazilians will face off with Colombia on Saturday, while the Danes line up against Nigeria.

Brazil supporters will know better than to get too far ahead of themselves based on Wednesday's win. One result doesn't completely erase the issues that had been plaguing the national team.

If the hosts continue playing like this, though, they may finally capture that elusive Olympic gold medal.

Post-Match Reaction

"I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't a relief," Gabigol said about his first goal, per Reuters (via Eurosport). "I was under pressure, not just because I hadn't scored but because the team hadn't scored. But we played well and we got all three points."

"The team played a great match," Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said, per the Associated Press' Tales Azzoni (via the Washington Post). "We found our game and this time the ball went in. That gave us a lot of tranquility during the match."

Micale also made a call to action for fans in Brazil: "To have the crowd on our side is extremely important. Hopefully it will be like that again in Sao Paulo."