NERVOUS BRAZIL HAVE beaten Chile 3-2 on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals after an epic battle that left Neymar and his team-mates in tears.
Two first half-goals and were all the teams managed in a fast-paced and tense 90 minutes and extra time in the Mineirao Stadium.
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.
Earlier on a hot afternoon in Belo Horizonte, Sanchez pounced on poor Brazlian defending to equalise for Chile in the 32nd minute, cancelling out an 18th-minute opener for the hosts that appeared to be an own-goal by Jara but was awarded by FIFA to David Luiz.
Brazil had the majority of the chances, but were overcome by nerves in the second half and were hugely lucky to survive at the end of extra time when substitute Pinilla lashed a shot against the bar from the edge of the area.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side now look forward to a quarter-final against either Uruguay or Colombia in Fortaleza, while Chile contemplate a last-16 exit at the hands of Brazil, just as they suffered in 1998 and 2010.
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, went into the net off Jara who was under pressure from David Luiz.
Chile, who also lost to Brazil in the 1962 semi-finals, faced a huge challenge to come from behind, but Brazil allowed them to control possession and gifted them an equaliser.
Hulk made a carelessly pass, allowing Eduardo Vargas to pounce and set up Sanchez, who had hardly been involved in the game but came alive to coolly beat Julio Cesar in goal.
- Handball denies Hulk -
Jorge Sampaoli’s side were then forced to weather a storm into half-time that saw a Neymar header deflected past the post and Claudio Bravo tip a powerful 30-yard drive from Daniel Alves over the bar.
Chile looked more comfortable after the restart, even if they had a let-off 10 minutes into the second half when Hulk succeeded in turning the ball into the net with his knee and wheeled away in celebration.
Hulk thought he had redeemed himself for his error in Chile’s equaliser, but the referee ruled that he had controlled the ball with his arm and brandished a yellow card to the burly forward.
As nerves took hold, Brazil needed Cesar to come to the rescue with a fine reaction save from an Aranguiz shot, while Neymar, so often the hosts’ source of genuine inspiration, faded from the game.
Instead Hulk came to the forefront. He delivered a glorious cross from the left that Jo, on in place of Fred, could not convert and then stung the palms of Bravo after accelerating into the box.
In the first period of extra time, Hulk produced another trademark thunderbolt from 30 yards that was blocked by Bravo.
Chile, meanwhile, seemed happy to take their chances in the lottery of a penalty shoot-out. Pinilla almost won it right at the last, only for the woodwork to rescue Brazil, as it did again from Jara’s crucial penalty.
- © AFP, 2014
https://vine.co/v/MFMd7j7ULET
85?? Not in that photo surely.
Photo is from 2002
Oh wait its not lol
86 actually. May 25th 1928.
Yeah that’s his date of birth on Wikipedia, Sky are sayin’ he was 85 though…
It’s Wikipedia vs literally every news outlet
Media before Pedia…
I just about believe even Wiki ahead of Sky.
BBC changed it to 86.
sky like round numbers
So will his debt be written of like in the credit union..
Malcolm Galzer won the Super Bowl in 2002? When he was 73? What an achievement!!
He must have been some player.
I think they mean he was a super bowls player.
No, he won a superb owl in 2002!
Laughing out loud at that one Sean. Very funny
Terrific Sean lol
Death jokes? Seriously?
Where?
RIP, didn’t know he was that old.
I take it that’s a really old photo of him , if not he looked great for his age !
He looks like shyte right now.
But probably still better than you Boyd
No, I’m a dreamboat. I’ve posted selfies here before that will confirm.
Yea but you also a nobody Boyd so we don’t care what you’ve done
I’m somebody just like evermore else.
Bit shocked when I read the headline because I always thought he was much younger, but 85 is a good age.
RIP.
Ah here,he killed no-one. RIP to the man
Some serious lack of respect going on here, Man U still hugely successful under his watch……
In spite of for Christ sake!! Not one cent of their money in that club and instead they filled their pockets whilst saddling their own debt upon the club. Made no attempt to ever communicate with fans and treated real supporters with disdain resulting in FCUM. No tears shed in Manchester you can be sure.
Peter, money was still made available for transfers. I understand the hate, I get it, as a Pool fan, seen what really bad owners can do to a big club. Some really tasteless comments regardless….
Whose money would that be then?? Oh the club with one of the largest turnovers in world football (during their ownership) should be grateful that the owners allow a proportion far less than what they spend on debt repayments and personal loans to be spent to benefit the club. A martyr!! They’re worse than Gillet and Hicks and only survived due to United’s unique manager and mass appeal.
Demichelis is distraught
Exactly Peter. Only a fraction of the profits were made available. For example where did the Ronaldo money go. Ferguson was obviously an exceptional manger but my one gripe was how he became part of the pr spin for the glazers “there is no value in the market right now etc.”
There is some amount of mindless fools on this. a death in a family is not to be laughed about. RIP MALCOM
He’s not a member if my family.
May he rest in peace.
The Amish community are devastated.
The what? I didn’t know he was 85 even not mentioning his age in media when he bought Man Utd .
Not a united fan but he’s going straight to hell.
Why is he?
Because it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Andrew no such thing as hell or heaven!
Thanks for enlightening us there.
The price of managers these day enough to give you a heart attack
Will United be sold now?
Hopefully
nope the 3 sons take over , but the long term plan they have that started 2 years ago was to sell up in 2016 for close to 4 billion ,currently it’s worth just under 3
Rip
Les stone?? Are you les rocks brother?
LUHG
Ask God.
Rip
Does his debt die with him then?
What does this mean for utd now? New owners?
Nope!sure his sons have been running the show the last few years
No. . . His sons have been running the business the last while.
Snap
Am fairly sure the photo is the guys son… think the two sons run the business.