Brazil spent tens of billions of dollars on stadiums and infrastructure to bring the world's biggest sporting event to the country where soccer is a religion. Despite street protests by those who were outraged at the cost, the government persevered, offering an implied promise: that Brazil would win the Cup.
But now that dream lies in ashes after Germany ruthlessly dismantled Brazil in the semifinal, 7-1. It was the most goals ever scored by a team in a World Cup semifinal.
The scoring began in the 11th minute when Thomas Müller tallied his fifth goal of the Cup after being left unmarked in the box. But it was the brief period from Minute 23 to Minute 29 that devastated Brazil.
First Miroslav Klose scored his record-breaking 16th career World Cup goal, surpassing the former Brazilian great Ronaldo. Then in rapid-fire succession came two goals from Toni Kroos and one by Sami Khedira. Just like that, it was 5-0.
Brazil, playing without its star Neymar, who broke a vertebra in the quarterfinal, looked livelier in the second half. But the sixth and seventh goals also went to Germany, as substitute Andre Schurrle added to Brazil's misery. Oscar scored a late consolation goal that was little consolation to Brazil.
Entities 0 Name: Brazil Count: 7 1 Name: Germany Count: 2 2 Name: Miroslav Klose Count: 1 3 Name: Neymar Count: 1 4 Name: Oscar Count: 1 5 Name: Ronaldo Count: 1 6 Name: Andre Schurrle Count: 1 7 Name: Thomas Müller Count: 1 8 Name: Sami Khedira Count: 1 9 Name: Toni Kroos Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/VB7kV1 Title: Column: World Cup burnishes brand Brazil but killed myth of 'beautiful' Brazilian football Description: Because it is turning out better than expected, the World Cup is doing more good than harm to brand Brazil. The opposite is true for Brazil's brand of football.
