The first of two semi-finals at the 2014 FIFA World Cup would kick off at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte with the hosts Brazil playing their first European opponent of the tournament in Germany.
Having lost star man Neymar to a vertebrae fracture and captain and stalward defender Thiago Silva to yellow card accumulation against the Colombians in the quarter-finals, Brazil looked to prove they were a team capable of overcoming adversity.
In their places would be Shakhtar Donetsk forward Bernard and FC Bayern defender Dante respectively.
The game kicked off with everything as normal, the Brazilian crowd belted out the Hino Nacional Brasileiro in unison with the players and coaches and Brazil looked to set the early tempo by attacking at Germany straight away.
The game took a very open shape from the very start as both teams looked to deliver an early goal. The first few minutes seemed to belong to the Brazilians with Fernandinho earning an early corner less than 45 seconds into the match. Until the Germans began to find their shape and rhythm the match looked destined to be a closely contested high octane battle up and down the pitch.
In the 11th minute the first glimpses of complete lack of togetherness and preparation would come for the Selecao as a corner taken by Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos from the right side would swing outwards towards the back-post of the 6 yard box.
The ball would find his club and country teammate Thomas Muller completely unmarked and he would tap his volleyed shot home to give the Germans an early 1-0 lead.
Miroslav Klose would finally get the goal he needed to stand alone at the top of the record books as the all-time leading scorer in the history of the World Cup finals in the 23rd minute.
The play would start on the right wing where Thomas Muller would cut back a pass towards FC Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos. Kroos would return the ball back to Muller on the right as he ran behind the Brazilian defense.
Muller would leave the ball for Klose with the slightest of touches behind him. Klose would latch onto the ball and unleash a shot that was parried back out by Toronto FC (On loan from QPR) goalkeeper Julio Cesar but only straight back to Klose who would tap home the rebound to give him 16 goals all-time in World Cup tournament play.
3 goals in the next 6 minutes for Germany would leave the Brazilian crowd stunned and end the chances for a World Cup victory at home for the Selecao as Kroos would score 2 in the 24th and 26th minutes before Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira would put the stamp on the first half with the 5th goal for the Germans in the 29th minute.
The first goal would come off a pass from the right wing by FC Bayern defender Philip Lahm. The ball would just miss Muller at the near post and skipped behind him towards a wide open Kroos on the edge of the box who would blast it home to make it 3-0.
Quickly 3 became 4 and Kroos had a 2 minute double salvo completed when Khedira would draw Cesar out before tapping it over to Kroos who had the goal at his mercy. Kroos would easily put it home to make it 4-0.
Germany looked to be playing against a schoolboy side in the 29th minute when Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil would receive a pass from Khedira on the left. Ozil would draw Cesar out before cutting it back to Khedira who would put it in the wide open net to make it 5-0 to Germany and put the game to bed.
A couple of changes for Brazil would come at the half with Hulk and Fernandinho coming off in favor of Tottenham’s Paulinho and Chelsea FC’s Ramires. Germany would also make a change giving a rest to Dortmund defender Mats Hummels and bringing on Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker.
The 2nd half would be all Brazil early on with only FC Bayern goalkepper Manuel Neuer standing between the hosts and a couple of early goals to provide some hope.
The game would continue on with Brazil struggling to create any further chances and Germany looking content to defend and counter to see things out.
Chelsea FC’s Andre Schurrle would replace record goal scorer Klose in the 58th minute for the Germans and provided an instant spark. After nearly setting up an effort for the German’s soon after coming on, Schurrle would be rewarded with a goal in the 69th minute.
Lahm would pass a ball low towards the middle of the box where Schurrle would step up to it and slot it home to make it 6-0 to the Germans.
The embarrassment would continue for the hosts in the 79th minute as Chelsea’s Andre Schurrle would earn a brace with a fabulous effort. After a pass played to the left wing found its way to an an unmarked Schurrle the Chelsea man would take the slightest of touches to get away from former teammate David Luiz. His second touch would unleash a powerful shot that would go in off the crossbar to make it 7-0.
A small consolation would come for Brazil in the 90th minute when Chelsea FC’s Oscar would receive a long pass off the left from Marcelo and cut back across the goal towards the right before lifting it above Neuer to make it 7-1.
With their demolition of hosts Brazil, Germany will most undoubtedly be favorites to win in the final on Sunday no matter who their opposition ends up being. For Brazil it will be the 2nd time in as many World Cups at home where they have fell short of expectations.
Certainly answers will be demanded as Brazil look to figure out what went wrong and pick themselves up for the 3rd place game on Saturday.
