Hosts humiliated as Germany inflict misery in record defeat
The hearts of a nation of 200 million people were not just broken here in the Estadio Mineirao last night.
They were smashed into a billion tiny pieces. Irreparably.
For Brazil, this was not just a defeat, not just a brutal, horrible, soul-destroyer of an evening.
It was a demolition job. Unimaginable. Inconceivable. Brazil, we were told, were still traumatised by the “Maracanazo’’, the 1950 “final”’ defeat by Uruguay.
Before the game, the focus had been on the absence of Neymar, the man who was not here.
Neymar face-masks and banners everywhere, “Forca Neymar’’ baseball caps worn by Scolari and his squad as they entered the Estadio Mineirao.
Without the skipper, missing the brains of the operation, Brazil looked for leadership from David Luiz, Fernandinho, Luis Gustavo and Oscar.
Toni Kroos delivered a corner, Thomas Muller was allowed to peel away from six defenders and volleyed in unmarked from the six yard box.
The crowd, shocked, tried to respond. But it was as if the air had gone out of the Brazilian balloon. They had no answer to the calm, penetrative intelligence of Sami Khedira, the vision of Kroos, the perceptive movement of Muller out on the right.
And as they collapsed, conceding four more goals in the space of six minutes before the half-hour had elapsed, you felt an unwelcome guest at a funeral.
Germany’s second was down to Fernandinho, failing to cut out Muller’s crossfield ball, but it was the rest of the defence which stood and watched. Muller darted off the flank, beyond Marcelo, and while Miroslav Klose’s first effort was parried, his second found the target, his 16th World Cup goal to claim for himself the record he had shared with Ronaldo.
Almost before the striker could celebrate, it was all over.
Philipp Lahm sped down the right and Muller’s miskick fell perfectly for Kroos to slam home left-footed. It got worse – or better if you were a German. Fernandinho coughed up the ball to Kroos outside his own box, and was just a spectator as a one-two with Khedira allowed the Real Madrid-bound schemer to pick his spot.
And the fifth followed, with Brazil statues as Germany danced round them, inside the box, Mesut Ozil pulling back for Khedira to steer home. The tears flowed all around. The faces of the fans were ashen. They had come to a party and found themselves grieving.
Boos at the break, Scolari’s men trudging off like zombies, the Living Dead.
Off went Fernandinho – a mercy killing – and Hulk, on came Paulinho and Ramires, Manuel Neuer finally extended to foil Oscar and the Spurs midfielder.
But it no longer mattered. Andre Schurrle made it six and the jeers came again. With 11 minutes to go he added a seventh
Oscar at least got Brazil off the mark in injury time.
Messi and co reach final after bore draw
While Brazil's dream was destroyed in the absence of Neymar, Argentina's lives on despite a virtual Messi no-show.
Overshadowed by Arjen Robben and Ron Vlaar, snuffed out by Louis Van Gaal's tactical defensive blanket, Messi offered next to nothing through 120 turgid minutes.
When Messi doesn't play, neither do Argentina. But with Germany watching on, Holland didn't turn up either.
And with Van Gaal unable to play his goalkeeper switch joker, Messi and Co kept their heads from 12 yards after Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder were repelled by chest-beating keeper Sergio Romero, Maxi Rodriguez confirming a re-run of 1990 in Rome.
Initially, Messi pushed right up, but soon, with De Jong dogging his steps, he sought spaces out wide, seeking to drag the former Manchester City man out of position.
The Dutch were happy to sit, patiently, wanting Argentina to over-commit, dealing with a flurry of set-pieces comfortably. Rarely flustered but even less frequently probing to any serious extent themselves.
No space, no room, no invention. Neither Messi nor Robben able to influence proceedings, a spark needed from somewhere.
Beyond scrappy, more than dull, the fear of losing the chance of taking the Golden Ticket preventing either side from reaching out to grasp that journey to Rio.
When there were possible situations, the delivery was frankly desperate, passes into nowhere, few runs of any penetration, the flag raised time and again if there was even a hint of a sight of goal.
Penalties were inevitable. Argentina went on to win 4-2 on penalties.
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