Brazil vs. Belgium 2018 World Cup quarterfinal: Belgium stuns Brazil, 2-1

Football Fever Every time.

Photo: Reuters

Belgium 2, Brazil 1

With a blistering counterattack and sturdy goaltending, Belgium shocked Brazil, 2-1, in a World Cup quarterfinal Friday to become one of the tournament’s last four teams standing.

Brazil’s loss continued a string of World Cup upsets that previously eliminated heavyweights Germany, Argentina, and Spain. France is now the only remaining country in this tournament that has won a World Cup within the past 50 years. All six remaining teams are from Europe, including all four participants in Saturday’s final two quarterfinals, guaranteeing the first all-European semifinal round since 2006.

Belgium’s near-perfect first half set the pace. After an early scare — a well-executed Neymar corner kick — the Red Devils roared back with two goals in 19 minutes. Vincent Kompany’s header struck Brazilian defender Fernandinho for an own goal in the 13th minute. In the 32nd minute, a wicked Belgian counterattack found midfielder Kevin De Bruyne 22 yards out for a shot that might have left a vapor trail.

Brazil finally found the score sheet in the 75th minute, when substitute Renato Augusto finished a header off a cross from Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho had a chance to tie the match minutes later off a lovely tap pass from Neymar, but his chance flew over the crossbar. Neymar had a chance to equalize himself, but Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois was equal to the task and flicked the shot over top of the net.

Belgium will face France Tuesday in St. Petersburg in a semifinal, its first trip back to that round since finishing fourth in 1986.

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In-Game Updates

Courtois makes a breathtaking save

Neymar bent a shot around the Belgian defense that was headed for goal, but the Red Devils’ keeper lunged for it and flicked it over top the cross bar to preserve a one-goal lead in the 95th minute.

Yellow card to Brazil’s Fagner

In the 90th minute.

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Belgium substitution: Tielemans for Lukaku

In the 87th minute.

Yellow card to Brazil’s Fernandinho

In the 85th minute.

Belgium substitution: Vermaelen for Chadli

In the 83rd minute.

Goal Brazil!

And all of a sudden, things look a lot more interesting. Philippe Coutinho chipped a cross in for Renato Augusto in the 73rd minute, who smacked a header into the net. The Seleção is one goal away from equalizing.

Brazil substitution: Renato Augusto for Paulinho

In the 73rd minute.

Yellow card to Belgium’s Meunier

In the 71st minute. Meunier will miss the semifinal match, should Belgium advance, with a yellow-card suspension.

Yellow card to Belgium’s Alderweireld

In the 48th minute.

Brazil substitution: Firmino for Willian

To begin the second half.

Halftime update: Belgium 2, Brazil 0

After a first half in which everything went Belgium’s way, the Red Devils finish the first 45 minutes ahead of Brazil, 2-0. Belgium survived an early scare — a well-executed Neymar corner kick — to roar back with two goals in 19 minutes.

Vincent Kompany’s header struck Brazilian defender Fernandinho for an own goal in the 13th minute. In the 32nd minute, a wicked Belgian counterattack found midfielder Kevin De Bruyne 22 yards out for a shot that might have left a vapor trail. The last time Brazil, the five-time champions, fought back from a two-goal deficit in a World Cup match was in the 1938 third-place match against Sweden.

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First-half updates

Goal Belgium!

Belgium is well in charge now. Kevin De Bruyne’s laser beam from 22 yards out in the 32nd minute put the Red Devils up, 2-0, on Brazil. The score came off a counterattack from a Brazilian corner. Belgium’s defense cleared the cross and striker Romelu Lukaku took the ball 45 yards from his own net. He ran the midfield and beat two Brazilian defenders before his pass found De Bruyne, who stepped into a wonder strike. The score puts the Seleção firmly on its heels early in the game.

Goal Belgium!

As the game speeds up and gets increasingly disorganized, both sides have begun to rely on set pieces. The Red Devils struck first in the 13th minute off a brilliantly executed corner. Vincent Kompany flicked a header toward his compatriots in the six-yard box, but the ball caught the shoulder of Brazil’s Fernandinho instead and found the back of the net.

Brazil gets the first chance

Off a Neymar-struck corner, Thiago Silva got his thigh on the cross inside the six-yard box and the ricochet caught Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois by surprise. The effort nicked the post and bounced wide and Belgium countered with an offensive charge of its own.

The game has opened up early. Both sides are playing with speed and pressuring the ball the full length of the field. Twelve minutes into the game, there have been seven shots on goal.

Starting lineups announced

Pregame thoughts

It’s the best of South America against perhaps the best that’s left of Europe for a spot in the semifinals. Brazil sailed past Mexico to reach the quarterfinals, while Belgium fended off Japan with a winning goal in added time, becoming the first team to win a World Cup knockout round match after trailing by at least two goals since 1970.

There’s plenty of anticipation in this round for both sides. Each entered the tournament among the title favorites, and nothing thus far has changed those expectations. Brazil is the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the championship, and Belgium isn’t far behind, having scored 12 goals, three more than any other team. Their championship pedigrees, however, are far different. Brazil, five-time champions, is in the quarterfinals for the seventh straight World Cup. Belgium has been this far just once since 1986 — and not beyond.

For Brazil, hopes lie on the feet of world class forward Neymar, but Paulinho and Philippe Coutinho have combined for some brilliant offense that has stretched defenses and only strengthened the Seleção’s possession-oriented game.

For Belgium, the Red Devils will fight for a share of the ball, something Brazil isn’t fond of giving up. Eden Hazard (two goals, two assists in three matches) will be key in keeping the side on time in the attacking half. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will help funnel the ball forward and keep the Red Devils connected down the field. The winner will face France, a 2-0 winner over Uruguay earlier Friday, in a Tuesday semifinal.

Team Profiles

Brazil 

Previous results: Drew with Switzerland, 1-1. Defeated Costa Rica, 2-0. Defeated Serbia, 2-0. Defeated Mexico in the round of 16, 2-0.

Best World Cup finish: Champion, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

Notable: Dating to 1998, Brazil’s last six World Cup losses have all come against European opposition.

FIFA world ranking: 2. Elo world ranking: 1.

Belgium 

Previous results: Defeated Panama, 3-0. Defeated Tunisia, 5-2. Defeated England, 1-0. Defeated Japan in the round of 16, 3-2.

Best World Cup finish: Fourth place, 1986

Notable: Belgium’s last two World Cup campaigns both ended against South American teams: against Argentina in the 2014 quarterfinals, and against Brazil in the 2002 second round.

FIFA world ranking: 3. Elo world ranking: 3.

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