FIFA - Bruno Xavier scored a hat-trick as Brazil kicked off their Tahiti 2013 campaign with a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Iran to move top of Group C.

The four-time world champions didn’t have it all their own way against the Asian champions, but their class and clinical finishing eventually told in an entertaining match.

Bruno Xavier was the architect of their win and he settled any early Brazilian nerves with a sweetly struck volleyed opener after just two minutes.

Undeterred, Iran - who had come into the game on the back of a 26-match unbeaten streak - stuck to their game-plan and created several chances of their own, eventually gaining their reward when Amir Akbari restored parity.

However, Brazil re-established their supremacy in the game’s latter stages and eventually clinched a comfortable win through two more goals from Bruno Xavier and another from Bueno.

Brazil now lead Group C on goal difference from Senegal, who beat Ukraine 5-4 in the section’s opening fixture earlier today.