itsbeautifuloutside

Introduction

The old chestnut about European sides doing poorly in the Western Hemisphere still seems to have legs. Of 13 teams from this side of the Atlantic only 6 remain. Meanwhile CONCACAF got 3 of their 4 sides into the last 16 along with 5 out of 6 South American nations. The vagaries of the draw saw just Argentina into the other side of the draw leaving Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay competing for a single semi-final berth. How many would have got there had the draw kept them apart?

It was a hot day in Belo Horizonte and my heart sank when I saw the first knock-out game was to be refereed by Howard Webb. God help us! Brazil have consistently got the better of Chile down the years but this Chile side with their high pressing game and mobile forwards look dangerous. Today’s game presented their best opportunity to beat Brazil since the sides met, in Chile, in the 62 World Cup: Brazil won that too.

Match Report

The Estadio Minerao was a mass of yellow spotted with significant blotches of red clad away fans as the teams came out. Both sets of fans led their teams in a cappella versions of their anthems and it was clear that players on both sides were near bursting with emotion. The match started at a quite frantic pace which, pretty much, was maintained throughout. Fernandinho was in for Paulhinho and heavily involved in the early exchanges – heading away Chile’s first free kick, then fouling Aranguiz. Chile were sticking to their high pressing game and some of the tackles dished out by both sides were tasty. Webb kept his cards in his pocket which probably saved us from seeing fewer than 22 on the park at the end.

Brazil engineered the first chance. Hulk’s corner was only partially cleared and the ball fell to Marcelo who shot wide. On 6 mins Diaz missed with Chile’s first decent attempt. Hulk started on the left side and had the beating of Isla. His cross was easily taken by Bravo. Neymar was limping following a knock but, fortunately for the hosts, he seemed to run it off in a few minutes. Sanchez then got down the right but his low cross was pounced on by Cesar.

On 13 mins Hulk burst into the box and went down under Isla’s challenge. Webb was not convinced and waved play-on. When Gustavo went over a minute later, Webb did blow for a foul giving Neymar a free-kick on the LHS. It was tame and easily dealt with by Bravo. Then Neymar impressively burst past Silva but the attack came to nothing.

On 17 minutes Mena handled earning him a yellow and a potential ban. Hulk took this one and Bravo punched it out for a corner on the left. Neymar swung his cross into the area, Thiago headed it on and, it seemed for all the world that, Jara put the ball into his own net. But the world, and more importantly FIFA, decided that David Luiz had got the last touch and the records will say he scored. 1-0 Brazil.

The hosts were matching Chile’s energy, pressing them all over the park. On 22 Chile won a free kick which Diaz took but the defence cleared. On 25 Neymar broke from midfield, running away from defenders but shot across goal missing the back post. Then a trade mark long diagonal pass found Neymar down the right. He got his cross in – but Fred had fallen over and the ball was cleared.

Brazil were competing well in midfield but you felt they were rather getting away with it at the back. As Chile piled on the pressure it was usually Thiago who kept them out. Finally, on 32 mins their luck ran out. Marcelo threw the ball to Hulk who tried to pass back. Vargas intercepted and found Sanchez in the box and his firm low shot beat Cesar’s dive. 1-1

Brazil tried to re-establish a lead and came close on 35 when Oscar’s cross was met by Neymar’s firm header. The ball deflected off Silva for a corner. Chaos ensued as Bravo came to collect the cross and didn’t. Brazil then won a string of corners but never succeeded in getting a strike on target. Eventually a chance fell to Fred but he put it over the bar. On 42 mins Alves tried his luck from distance and his swerving shot was tipped over by Bravo. Good save Sir!

On 43 the Chile defence made an uncharacteristic mistake giving the ball away at the back. The chance fell to Fred but he scuffed his shot badly. In injury time Neymar again got in a cross from the right but both Fernandinho and Fred went for it and collided with Fred staying down longest. Before the whistle, Chile mounted another attack with Sanchez feeding Aranguiz but he was closed down by a bank of defenders, winning just a corner. Half time: 1-1.

The BBC pundits were well pleased with the pace and attacking action. I was interested to see Clarence Seedorf’s tour of Botafogo during the break. He was of course born in South America so it is fitting that he is finishing his career there.

Brazil attacked from the off but Chile soon countered. Luiz’s foul on Vidal gave Diaz a chance to put the ball in the box but Cesar punched it away. Moments later the keeper needed to dive at the feet of Vargas as he chased the ball goalwards. Oscar and Hulk had switched sides and Brazil’s first chance of the half saw Fernandinho shoot wide.

The game had a different feel after the break. Both sides no longer seemed content to build slowly from the back and the keepers were now kicking the ball long. There were some tightly fought battles in the middle of the park with no quarter given by either side. On 55 Brazil nearly broke the deadlock. A left wing cross found Hulk in the box, he appeared to control the ball on his chest and knock it across Bravo into the far corner. He turned away in celebration only to see Mike Mullarky’s flag being waved. Following consultation, Howard Webb disallowed the goal and booked Hulk for handball. Replays suggest the officials got that right but the locals were furious.

Brazil certainly felt hard done by but the Chileans were also affected by the brooding atmosphere in the stadium. Guitierez replaced Vargas and on the hour Gustavo was yellow carded for a hack on Vidal. It was one of several niggley fouls commited by both sides. Chile were beginning to look the more likely but the home fans found a reason to cheer when Thiago’s full blooded tackle broke up an attack. On 64 Fred was off, replaced by Jo.

Then Isla broke into the Brazil box and crossed for Aranguiz. He hit his shot well and drew a great save from Cesar. The keeper then leapt to collect a corner and the crowd murmured its approval. Big Phil was still looking daggers at Webb & Co; if Brazil were to go out here, one wonders if the English officials might get lynched.

On 67 Hulk chased a ball into Chile’s box, bounced off a defender half his size and went over like a rag doll. But as we moved into the final quarter, it was still Chile seeing most of the ball with Sanchez cropping up all over the park, keeping the red machine ticking over. Fernandinho limped off to be replaced by Ramires.

Hulk then set off on another impressive run and hit a sweet cross to the back stick. It looked like Jo had missed a sitter but replays suggested that a defender had nicked it away. Chile’s period of dominance came to an end as Brazil ramped up the tempo in the last 15 mins. Chile continued to close down well but Brazil began getting past them as they had done earlier. On 80 Alves’ cross was met by Neymar but headed straight at the keeper. Next Hulk went on another mazy run into the box and fired in a firm shot well saved by Bravo.

Pinella replaced Vidal on 87 minutes. Hulk was still trying to run at Chile but his control let him down. Indeed, errors were being made all over the park as players tired and extra time loomed. During the 3 minutes of injury time it was Chile again on the front foot. Brazil’s defenders blocked crosses and headed balls away and then Howard Webb blew for full-time. 1-1.

What the players were feeling was unclear but both sets of fans were up for another 30 mins. There was a huge noise in the stadium as play restarted and Hulk was pushed over. Neymar’s free kick was headed out for a corner which came to nought. Brazil’s next attack saw Jo chase a lofted ball into the box, colliding with Bravo as he came to collect. Jo was yellow carded for a high boot.

On 95 minutes Ramires fouled Sanchez. Diaz fired the free kick well wide. On 100 mins Jo was sent down the LHS of the box but slipped at the crucial moment. Bravo then dealt with a couple of easy headers but on 103 minutes Hulk ended a weaving run with a hard low shot that the keeper did well to save. Chile then got forward and Alves went into the book for a foul on Pinilla. Sanchez’s free kick lacked the curl needed to trouble Cesar. Half time in extra time – still 1-1.

With Willian on for Oscar, Brazil again took the game to Chile. Jo’s footing let him down again but he was soon up, heading a Neymar cross over. Medel was then stretchered off with Rojas replacing him. Both sides were guilty of over-ambitious long shots. Neither seemed willing to get too far upfield and be vulnerable to counterattacks. As time ran out Chile sometimes had just Sanchez upfield and everyone else behind the ball.

Willian put in a decent cross but Chile cleared and Hulk fired over. Into the 120th minute and suddenly Chile were breaking forward. The ball was fed to Pinella who gave himself a yard before hitting a sweet shot against the bar. Brazil were delighted to see it bounce clear. Brazil fashioned once last chance in injury time which Ramires missed. Time was up – just penalties now.

Penalty shoot outs are a horrid way to decide football matches but boy are they exciting for the neutrals. There were few neutrals in the stadium though. Ten names were given to Howard Webb and a coin toss determined Brazil would go first.

• Luiz scored and Pinilla's shot was saved by Cesar: 1-0
• Willian missed and Sanchez's was saved by Cesar: 1-0
• Marcelo and Aranguiz both scored: 2-1
• Hulk's saved by Bravo and Diaz Scored: 2-2
• Neymar scored then Jara missed with a rebound from the post 3-2. A nation went wild!

Brazil maintained their impressive record against Chile but were taken to the final penalty kick. At 2-2 they were lucky to have Neymar to take their final spot-kick. Jara, recently released by Nottingham Forest, was desperately unlucky to hit the inside of a post but see the ball bounce to safety.

Neymar didn’t look 100% and Brazil’s physios need to get him patched up before they face Colombia next week. Both keepers did well but I’m making Cesar my Man of the Match. His two early shoot-out saves gave Brazil the opportunity to progress which, eventually, they took.

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