Brazil 1-2 Belgium: Neymar and all the golden boys beaten as Belgium march on to semifinal

Kevin De Bruyne's stunner and a Fernandinho own goal sent Belgium into the semi-finals at the expense of five-time winners Brazil.

2018 World Cup

1-2

Match Events

7' POST! Thiago Silva inches away from opener

Neymar swings a corner-kick into the penalty area and, after a Miranda touch at the near post, Thiago Silva gets a tap on the ball but the PSG defender can only put his weak effort from close range against the post! Brazil have the first real scoring opportunity of the match.

11' Paulinho misses a golden chance!

Willian’s corner is a great delivery but Paulinho mishits the service from the centre of the penalty area after yet another Miranda near-post flick.  

13' OWN GOAL! Brazil 0-1 Belgium (Fernandinho)

Vincent Kompany gets his head onto the corner at the near post and it takes a touch off what looks to be Fernandinho's elbow and beats Alisson! Belgium have the lead!

15' Neymar causes trouble for Belgium defender!

Brazil turn around and press forward immediately looking for the equaliser. This is the first time Brazil have been behind in the tournament, so they will need to dig deep in order to avoid conceding further.

26' Marcelo's shot saved by Courtois!

Marcelo attempts to dance his way past Fellaini and instead settles for opening up enough room to have a strike at Courtois who parries the shot smartly away from danger and towards his full-back who keeps possession.

31' GOAL! Brazil 0-2 Belgium (De Bruyne)

Fellaini heads the ball away to Lukaku who charges all the way through midfield, dancing past a couple of markers. He then locates Kevin De Bruyne perfectly just outside the area, and the midfielder takes an absolutely superb shot which beats Alisson! Belgium double their lead! 

Romelu Lukaku ran almost the entire length of the pitch with the ball tied to his foot before finding Kevin De Bruyne. His pass is credited with the assist. 

51' Firmino misses a golden chance!

Marcelo flashes it across the face of goal but neither Firmino nor Neymar can get the crucial redirecting touch.

52' Neymar goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!

Neymar drives and jinks towards goal but gets tripped up in the process. The referee once again is having absolutely none of it, and does not even check with VAR.

55' NO PENALTY AGAIN! Kompany tackles Jesus down in the box!

Replays suggest that Kompany may indeed have left something on Jesus in the tackle, but apparently not enough to merit a spot-kick.

62' Hazard's shot wide out!

De Bruyne looks up and passes to Hazard who takes a few steps before hitting a blistering shot towards goal, which just misses the inside of the far post and goes wide.

76' GOAL! Brazil 1-2 Belgium (Augusto)

It's the substitute who rises highest and gets his head to a sumptuous Phillipe Coutinho cross which beats Courtois who has otherwise looked imperious today.

Philippe Coutinho's perfect cross is given as the assist for Brazil’s first goal of the quarter-finals.

80' Augusto's shot wide out!

90+3' Courtois stops Neymar's goal-bound shot!

Neymar finally comes to life in injury time, forcing a brilliant save from Thibaut Courtois with a curling shot from outside the area.

Match Report

Belgium booked a World Cup semi-final against France as Brazil's hopes of winning a sixth title were ended by a 2-1 defeat in Kazan.

Brazil, ranked second in the world by FIFA, were the last remaining non-European team in the tournament after Les Bleus knocked out Uruguay in Friday's first quarter-final.

But Tite's men, who badly missed the suspended Casemiro, were soundly beaten by third-ranked Belgium thanks to a pair of goals before the break at the Kazan Arena, despite the Selecao mounting a second-half fightback.

Line-ups

Brazil XI: Alisson (GK); Fagner, Silva, Miranda (C), Marcelo; Paulinho, Fernandinho, Coutinho; Willian, Jesus, Neymar.

Subs: Cassio (GK), Ederson (GK), Geromel, Filipe, Costa, Augusto, Marquinhos, Danilo, Fred, Firmino, Taison; Casemiro (suspended).

Belgium XI: Courtois (GK); Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Fellaini; Chadli, E. Hazard (C); Lukaku.

Subs: Mignolet (GK), Casteels (GK), Vermaelen, Carrasco, Mertens, T. Hazard, Tielemans, Januzaj, Dembele, Boyata, Batshuayi, Dendoncker.