The colours yellow and green are still shining brightly as hosts Brazil reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup yesterday edging past a spirited Chile 3-2 in the tie-breaker after the stipulated and extra time failed to separate the two sides with the scores locked at 1-1.
At the Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, the Chileans threatened to spoil the party of the home side as their indomitable spirit never vanquished throughout the entirety of the game until right-back Gonzalo Jara’s spot-kick hit the right-hand post of Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar. The stadium erupted in a thunderous roar as the Brazilian players ran off in wild celebrations.
In the shoot-out, David Luiz, Marcelo and Neymar scored from the spot for Brazil while Willian and Hulk missed. For Chile, Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez were denied by Cesar before Charles Aranguiz and Marcelo Diaz netted their respective spot-kicks. Jara missed the fifth and final shot hitting the right-hand post to send Chile crashing out of the World Cup.
With just five minutes into the game, Chilean defender Eugenio Mena brought down Neymar with a scything tackle as the signal was clear from the outset that it would be a fiercely-contested tie. The muscular and stocky Chilean players were there to make life hard for the Brazilians.
However, following the initial pressure, Brazil began to invade the Chilean territory and in the 13th minute Hulk was appealing for a penalty as the opposition defenders brought him down after he succeeded in orchestrating a slaloming run through the defence.
Three minutes later Neymar fooled none but himself. He dashed past two defenders and found Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo stranded alone at the middle of the box but the star forward neither took a shot towards goal or passed the ball to Fred and Marcelo who were free in both the flanks.
But the constant pressure being piled upon the Chilean defence ultimately took its toll in the 18th minute when Neymar’s curled corner from the right-hand flag was flicked by Thiago Silva towards the far post where David Luiz tapped it home sparking boisterous celebrations in the stands.
In the 29th minute Neymar was challenged by Arturo Vidal but it was the Chilean midfielder who required medical attention. The Brazilian back-line’s sudden lapses in concentration were clearly evident after the final group game against Cameroon as Eduardo Vargas soon stole the ball in the right flank and cut a low cross for the efficient Alexis Sanchez, who was unmarked. Stroking the ball into the far post was not more than a childish act for the fit and skillful Sanchez as Chile brought parity.
Brazil were ruing the squandered opportunities late in the first half when Neymar’s header on a neat cross from Oscar landed just beside the side post while in the 40th minute an out-of-sorts Fred missed an open net from the middle of the box after Neymar had won the duel against the Chilean defenders. Fred just had to tap the ball in, instead he placed the ball over.
Hulk then saw his goal overruled by English referee Howard Webb in the 57th minute when he brought down a David Luiz cross and kept his balance to poke it into the far post but the referee signaled for handball and dished out a yellow card to the striker.
Fred was replaced by Jo but the tall forward fared little better in the 76th minute as he failed to place a Hulk cross to the back of the net.
Hulk was denied again by Bravo in the 82nd minute when his cracking rightfooter was superbly parried away by the inspirational captain of Chile.
In the very beginning of the second half of extra time, Jo headed a Neymar corner over the crosspiece as Chile adopted a defensive strategy. However, the Chileans came agonisingly close to a brilliant winner in the 119th minute as substitute forward Pinilla picked up a superb through pass from Sanchez only to see his effort thwarted by the crosspiece. Right before the conclusion of the high-voltage tie, Pinilla’s shot would have shown the exit door to Brazil but stupendous heroics from Cesar ensured a place in the quarters for the hosts.