With two goals from Gabriel Barbosa, Brazil stormed past Denmark 4-0 to clinch a needed win and keep their spluttering Olympic football campaign on track. But besides the result, the hosts sent an ominous warning to the rest of the quarter-final participants, as they finally discovered their blistering best form.
The vultures were already hovering overhead going into Wednesday's clash at Salvador's Itaipava Arena. Two games had passed without the Selecao even troubling the scorers, as minnows South Africa and Iraq held Brazil's highly rated young team to goalless draws.
Both of those ties had been accompanied by boos and jeers from the home stands.