Brazil win an epic
Nervous Brazil has beaten Chile 3-2 on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals after an epic battle finished 1-all at the end of normal time.
They advance to a quarter final clash against Columbia after its 2-0 win against Uruguay
Two first half-goals were all the teams managed in a fast-paced and tense 120 minutes in the Mineirao Stadium which left some players in tears.
Gonzalo Jara missed the decisive penalty for Chile, crashing his shot against the post and across the face of the goal, to continue his country’s record of World Cup misery against Brazil.
Willian and Hulk both missed from the spot for Brazil, but David Luiz, Marcelo and Neymar all kept their cool to score while Julio Cesar made crucial saves from Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez.
Neymar sank to his knees in disbelief afterwards amid widespread tears of joy. Some of the Chilean players hid their weeping under their shirts as they left the field.
“We knew when the draw was made seven months ago that we might come up against Chile and we knew then how difficult it might be. Chile are a very well-organised team and it was a very well-balanced game,” said relieved Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
“We had three or four more chances to score a second goal and when you don’t get that goal you always run a risk,” he added.
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Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli said: “I am sad because to play like this against the hosts and end up losing in the way we did is obviously very hard for us. The players did everything they could.”
Earlier, Barcelona star Sanchez had pounced on poor Brazilian defending to equalise for Chile in the 32nd minute, cancelling out an 18th-minute opener for the hosts by Luiz.
Brazil had the majority of the chances but were jittery in the second half and were hugely lucky to survive at the end of extra time when Chilean substitute Pinilla lashed a shot against the bar from the edge of the area.
As in all of their group games, Brazil started frantically amid a backdrop of deafening noise from the crowd of almost 60,000.
Chile were subjected to the sort of high and energetic pressing game they normally inflict upon others and Marcelo shot narrowly wide before English referee Howard Webb rejected loud appeals for a penalty when Hulk went down in the area after coming together with Mauricio Isla.
Brazil and their fans celebrated in the 18th minute, however. Neymar swung in a corner from the left and Thiago Silva headed the ball on towards the back post, where David Luiz bundled it in, with the help of Chile defender Jara.
Chile, who also lost to Brazil in the round of 16 in 1998 and 2010, faced a huge challenge to come from behind, but Brazil allowed them to control possession and gifted an equaliser.
Hulk made a careless pass, allowing Eduardo Vargas to pounce and set up Sanchez, who coolly beat Cesar in goal.
Sampaoli’s side were then forced to weather a storm before halftime that saw a Neymar header deflected past the post and Claudio Bravo tip over a powerful 30-yard drive from Daniel Alves.
As nerves took hold in the second half, Chile seemed happy to take their chances in the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.
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Pinilla almost won it right at the last shot, only for the woodwork to rescue Brazil, as it did again from Jara’s crucial penalty.
James Rodriguez has scored a double as Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, where they will face Brazil.
The first of his goals may rival one by Australia’s Tim Cahill as he took the ball down on his chest with his back to goal before swivelling and hitting a dipping volley in off the bar.
His second was a simple tap in after Juan Cuadrado headed Pablo Armero’s deep cross back into the danger zone.
The build up to the game had been dominated by the fall-out from Luis Suarez’s worldwide ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
Even though he was back home in Uruguay, his team laid out his kit in the changing rooms at the Maracana.
But Uruguay dearly missed his presence as they were dominated by their South American rivals.
Colombia will next play Brazil in Fortaleza on Friday in the last eight.
Today’s World Cup:
AT A GLANCE: Brazil beat Chile 3-2 on penalties and Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0.
PLAYER OF THE DAY: James Rodriguez’s first half goal for Colombia may rival Tim Cahill’s strike as the goal of the tournament. Rodriguez took the ball down on his chest with his back to goal before swivelling and hitting a dipping volley in off the bar.
TALKING POINT: Chile coming so close to beating hosts Brazil. Locked at 1-1 in extra time, the Chileans almost sealed the match in the final moments only to watch Mauricio Pinilla’s shot slam off the crossbar. Brazil ended up winning 3-2 in a penalty shootout.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The players did everything possible and represented the country in an incredible manner. They will go down in history for the way they represented their country.” – Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli after his side was knocked out of the World Cup against rivals Brazil.
STAT OF THE DAY: Five. The number of goals Colombia’s Rodriguez has scored to make him the World Cup’s leading goalscorer.
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