Hosts Brazil and Europe’s biggest remaining team Germany set up an epic-looking World Cup semifinal for next week with deserved victories on Friday over Colombia and France respectively.
Five-times champions Brazil won a frenetic match in Fortaleza 2-1 to end Colombia’s dream run to their first quarter-final, while France succumbed 1-0 to their old nemesis Germany in a more subdued affair in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil and Germany will now meet in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday in a clash of styles and continents that is sure to excite fans around the world.
In a passionate and physical game from start to finish, Brazil captain Thiago Silva bundled in Neymar’s corner with his waist after seven minutes to settle his nervy team mates.
Then a pumped-up David Luiz scored with a sublime 69th minute free kick to put Brazil two goals ahead.
Colombia’s man-of-the-moment James Rodriguez pulled his side back into the match from the penalty spot, and got his sixth goal of the tournament, with just over 10 minutes remaining.
But Brazil’s passion and will saw them hold firm.
“It was a great match, both teams played beautiful football,” said the emotional Luiz, who prayed on the pitch and hugged Rodriguez in consolation at the end.
“It will be a big game (against Germany), a classic in world terms, and it will be very hard.”
Rodriguez, the target of rough treatment from the Brazilians, wept distraughtly at the end. But he will long be remembered as one of the great players of this World Cup.
“We wanted to carry on, but we hold our heads high. Thank you Colombia,” he said. “We’re sad but we also have to feel proud because we left our skins out there.”
Predictably, Brazil came to a standstill during the game, with businesses closed and cans rattling in empty streets as locals packed into homes, bars and beachside fanzones.
The final whistle signalled a cacophony of parties, fireworks and celebrations in a nation whose people believe they are destined to win a sixth World Cup on home soil.
The joy, though, was tempered by worries over Neymar, who was carried off on a stretcher after being kneed in the back, and the suspension of Thiago Silva for the Germany game after a yellow card for a needless foul on goalkeeper David Ospina.
HUMMELS GERMANY’S HERO
In the earlier quarter-final, defender Mats Hummels shook off the effects of flu and fever to win a surprisingly subdued match between the two European powers with a well-steered 13th minute header from a free kick. It gave Germany a remarkable fourth successive World Cup semifinal spot.
“I hope our ride isn’t over yet and I hope we’ll be back here,” the 25-year-old Hummels said, referring to the July 13 final, also at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.
He brushed off a challenge from France’s Raphael Varane, appearing to push him lightly, to meet the ball perfectly before wheeling away in delight after securing a dream early lead.
Though perennially competitive, the Germans have not won football’s ultimate crown since 1990 despite having a bigger pool talent since the unification of West and East.
‘Les Bleus’ looked uninspired but did have their moments, not least a stinging last-gasp shot by striker Karim Benzema that goalkeeper Manuel Neuer stopped one-handed. “That was just an automatic reaction,” said the modest Neuer.
In truth, Germany, whose team showed no ill effects of a flu virus menacing their camp in recent days, never looked in great danger of losing and substitute Andre Schuerrle wasted two chances to secure a more flattering scoreline.
Though losing once more to old rivals Germany was painful, France have at least restored some pride after the embarrassment of in-fighting and a first round exit in 2010.
“We had our chances. But they had more experience than we did. They had us under control,” said coach Didier Deschamps.
Source: Supersport