By Robbie Blakeley, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Seleção (Brazil national team) were unceremoniously dumped out of the FIFA World Cup after being thrashed 7-1 by Germany at the Mineirão this evening (July 8th). A sensational six minute period in the first half saw the Germans score four goals, snatching away Brazil’s hopes of a sixth world title, not to mention a first on home soil.
Germany simply had too much. Before the tournament there was much talk of the Maracanazo (curse) of 1950, when Brazil lost the final 2-1 to Uruguay. This was worse. The heaviest defeat in the history of the World Cup semi-finals and the heaviest defeat the Brazilian national team has ever suffered.
Cheered on by a packed house, the wheels came off the hosts’ bus in spectacular style. Thiago Silva and Neymar were missing for Brazil but no one expected the humbling that was so brutally dished out. As each goal went in it felt like an out of body experience. The cameras panned around the stadium to looks of incomprehension and grief.
Germany went ahead after eleven minutes. Toni Kroos whipped in a corner and Thomas Muller, inexplicably unmarked, calmly volleyed home. Marcelo tried to surge forward down the left flank but was excellently checked by Phillip Lahm, but then Miroslav Klose doubled the German advantage and the floodgates opened.
Less than 60 seconds later Lahm’s cross was mishit by Muller. The loose ball fell to Kroos, who rifled home from the edge of the penalty area. Brazil were now 3-0 down and the fans barely had time to register what was happening. Fernandinho lost possession, Sami Khedira teed up Kroos and the fourth hit the back of the net.
The hosts were now in a shambolic state and the worst was not over. Before the half hour mark, Germany had made it 5-0. Mesut Ozil centered for Khedira to coolly slot the ball past a beaten César. The game, and the day, was now as good as over.
Andre Schurrle added two more after the interval before Oscar scored a consolation for the hosts. By then, though, the damage to this Brazil team had long been done.
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