Belgium burst Brazil bubbles into World Cup semis

The golden generation of Belgium made a huge statement of intent to win a first World Cup dispatching giants, Brazil 2-1 in an enthralling quarter-final duel.

Fernandinho’s own goal early in the first half was bad enough but when De Bruyne shot a bullet after a masterful break from Lukaku, Belgium was over the hill and far away.

Brazil came back strongly in the second half with an Augusto late header to beat Courtois. It was game on. The Red Devils had to defend and they did with their lives.

Brazil missed glorious goalscoring opportunities to draw level, including a criminal miss by Coutinho and when Courtois pulled a superb injury-time save from a goal bound Neymar strike victory was sealed in a special way.

It was a Neymar-Hazard clash, two players with similar playing quality of skill, speed and dexterity but on the night it was the Belgian man who showed purpose, led with example, whilst the other in yellow, looked out of sorts, tried on many occasions to win an underserving sympathy, penalty from the referee.

He passed the ball around, played around and complained around a few times but neither the Belgian defence nor referee Mazic Milorad will be moved.

It was the five-time champions who started well and looked more hungry for a goal but Thiago Silva’s little touch from a corner after eight minutes went off the goal post.

A minute later it was the Brazilians who were on defensive duties, because of speedster Lukaku, who with a speed of light, tore away from his marker but Fellaini failed to make it count in the final third.

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