- Stephen Pollard
- Tue, Jul 08 2014
Miroslav Klose broke Ronaldo’s World Cup goalscoring record as Germany broke the collective will of a country following a 7-1 defeat of Brazil in Belo Horizonte.
The goals came from Thomas Muller, Klose, a double from Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira and a second half brace from Andre Schurrle. Brazil’s only consolation came through Oscar in the final moments of the most humiliating night in Brazilian footballing history, and one of the best in that of Germany.
After a frantic first eleven minutes, with no real chances for either side, it was the Europeans that broke the deadlock. Sami Khedira won a corner on the right off Dante. Toni Kroos took it and justly found Muller at the back post. The striker volleyed a delightful low drive past Cesar for his 10th World Cup goal in only his second tournament.
Midway through the opening period, history was made in fairytale fashion. Kross was again at the heart of everything, sliding Klose in on goal. His first effort was parried by Cesar but when the second fell to the Lazio man he could not miss, tapping the ball into an empty net to eclipse La phenomenon Ronaldo with his sixteenth FIFA World Cup goal.
Moments later it was three. Lahm bombed down the right in a fashion we are all accustomed to seeing with the German skipper. He crossed, both Muller and Klose missed it but Kroos didn’t and he smashed it into the bottom corner.
It was game over just a minute after that. Straight from kick off Fernandinho lost possession to Kroos.After playing the ball left to Khedira, Kroos broke into the area, and was found by his projected new club mate. His finish again inch perfect passed the overworked Cesar.
Things were getting embarrassing and their wasn’t even half an hour gone. Khedira and Kroos were making a show of Brazil, the latter danced through the Brazilian midfield before squaring it to the former. He beat David Luiz all ends up and slid the ball past the Toronto FC keeper to make it stunningly 5-0 after 29 minutes.
Even when Brazil created a chance, Manuel Neuer was a towering wall in front of goal. Firstly, he easily redirected an Oscar shot to safety and moments later he tipped the ball around the post after a double save from two Paulinho shots. Great concentration early in the second period from the Bayern Munich stopper.
With little over 20 minutes left, there was no let up from Germany. Bastian Schweinsteiger played Khedira down the right. He cut the ball into the area, to the underlapping Lahm. His low centre missed Muller but not sub Schurrle who finished with aplomb beyond a despondent Cesar.
Schurrle bagged his second since his arrival eleven minutes from time. Muller controlled the ball on the left and stroked a half volley cross into the path of the Chelsea man. His half volley was inch perfect into the top corner as Germany made it 7-0.
Right on full time, Oscar grabbed a consolation with a fine finish but it was just that, a consolation. Germany progress to the Maracana on Sunday for the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, while Brazil finish their home World cup a day earlier in Brasilia with the 3rd/4th place play off.
Brazil: Julio Cesar; Maicon, David Luiz, Dante, Marcelo; Luiz Gustavo, Fernandinho (Paulinho 46); Hulk (Ramires 46), Oscar, Bernard; Fred (Willian 70)
Booked: Dante (68)
Subs not used: Jefferson (GK), Victor (GK), Dani Alves, Henrique, Maxwell, Hernanes, Jo.
Germany: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels (Per Mertesacker 46), Benedikt Howedes; Bastian Schweinsteiger; Sami Khedira (Julian Draxler 76), Toni Kroos; Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil; Miroslav Klose (Andre Schurrle 58).
Subs not used: Roman Weidenfeller (GK), Ron-Robert Zieler (GK), Kevin Grosskreutz, Matthias Ginter, Eric Durm, Christoph Kramer, Mario Gotze, Lukas Podolski.
Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
Attendance: 58,141
Extratime.com Man of the Match: Toni Kroos (Germany) - One of the great World Cup performances, he was utterly flawless. Much like his team.
