Dutch clinch third place with 3-0 win over miserable Brazil

Netherlands' Robin van Persie shoots to score his team's first goal on a penalty shot during the World Cup third-place

The Netherlands clinched third place in the 2014 World Cup with a 3-0 crushing of Brazil on Saturday, adding to the hosts’ miserable finale to the tournament.

After their worst-ever World Cup defeat — a 7-1 drubbing against Germany in the semi-finals — a still shell-shocked Brazil side could not salvage the country’s pride at Brasilia’s Estadio Nacional, conceding two goals inside 17 minutes.

Robin Van Persie netted in the first with a penalty after just three minutes, while defender Daley Blind scored the second less than a quarter of an hour later. Substitute Georginio Wijnaldum clinched the Netherlands’ third during injury time.

This is the first time that the Dutch have ended a World Cup in third place, having lost in the 1974, 1978 and 2010 finals and in their only other battle for third place, against Croatia in 1998.

Brazil, by contrast, leave the tournament with their tails between their legs, having failed to win a World Cup on home soil for a second time and with a campaign that will always be remembered for their semi-final humiliation in Belo Horizonte.

For a game that neither would have wanted to play, it was to be expected that both coaches would make a number of changes to their starting lineups.

Brazil welcomed back captain Thiago Silva, who was sorely missed against Germany, but dropped left-back Marcelo and out-of-favour Fred, fielding Jo up front instead.

Louis Van Gaal had to do without creative midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who picked up a last-minute injury, and Nigel de Jong, replacing the pair with Jonathan De Guzman and Jordy Clasie.

Brazilian star Neymar joined his team-mates on the bench, despite being unable to play after fracturing a vertebra in the quarter-final game against Colombia.

Despite there being little to play for, Luiz Felipe Scolari had insisted before the game that his players should go out and “honour the national team jersey”. But despite pockets of encouragement from the stands, the hosts never looked like having a clear game plan and suffered a nightmare start to the game.

As the Dutch made their first attacking manoeuvre, Arjen Robben was served a wonderful deep ball from Van Persie and made a run for goal, only to be brought down by Thiago Silva. Algerian referee Djamel Haimoudi awarded a penalty and booked Thiago Silva, despite the fact that the Brazilian captain could have been shown a red card for denying the Dutch winger a clear opportunity at goal.

In any event, captain Van Persie put the Dutch in front after just three minutes of play with a well-taken penalty kick to score his fourth goal of the tournament.

Less than a quarter of an hour passed before the hosts had conceded a second.

And yet again it was David Luiz, who had been singled out as one of the worst Brazilian players against Germany, who made another error.

This time it was his poor clearance that ended up delivering the ball on a plate to Blind, who had plenty of time to beat goalkeeper Julio Cesar with a comfortable finish from the centre of the area.

Still mindful of their semi-final drubbing, Brazil struggled to make an impact, although they came close in the 38th only for Paulinho and David Luiz to narrowly fail to connect with the ball following a flick by Luis Gustavo.

The end of the first half was greeted by jeers and boos from the crowd.

Scolari replaced Luiz Gustavo with Manchester City’s Fernandinho and also brought in Hernanes for Paulinho after the break, but it was the Dutch who continued to look the more threatening side, with Robben a constant thorn on Brazil’s right flank.

And despite plenty of good will, Brazil rarely looked like threatening a well-organized Dutch side and ended up conceding a third goal during injury time.

Brazil had come into the World Cup knowing that nothing less than a sixth title would satisfy the fans. Instead, they ended the campaign conceding a record number of goals - 14 - and their first consecutive home defeats since 1940.

For Van Gaal, it was a fitting final game at the helm of the Dutch national team. The master tactician has already signed a contract with Manchester United and can join the English club claiming that — excluding the penalty shoot-out against Argentina — his team left Brazil undefeated.

Semi Finals 1: Germany Crushed Barazil by 7-1

Like impostors who begin believing their own lies, the Selecao of 2014 too sauntered into the semifinal against Germany here telling themselves they were a team that stood a chance of getting within touching distance of a sixth World Cup title. They forgot that it would not be Germany -- the world's top ranked team -- but their own sickening ineptitude at this level that would so cruelly expose them.

If it was a carnage, a massacre, an annihilation and all the death-inducing adjectives that the composed and prepared Europeans inflicted on them, it must be pointed out that it was Brazil who had ordered the firing squad themselves and provided for the ammunition. Germany scored seven goals in a single game here. In South Africa, Spain won the World Cup with the just one more -- eight goals. A late Oscar goal brought some late cheer but angry and shocked tears flowed freely at the Estadio Minerao.

In Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, Ronaldo just lost his goal-scoring record to Miroslav Klose, but Brazil lost more than a football match. It lost face, which recovering would take a good half-century or more. Until the next Maracanazo would come along, the Minerazo would stand, for unfortunately this Brazil side under the sweet-talking, ever-sure Luis Felipe Scolari - who had claimed that he had not even a drop of doubt for this defence of his - could not hold up to even the poorest teams that Brazil had sent out to in previous World Cups, 1974 and 1978. And like the 1950 reverse, the scars of this debacle will take very, very long to heal.

Before this, the most Brazil had allowed at home was five goals, and that was 75 years ago. That was in 1939 when they were beaten 5-0 by Argentina - the rivals the whole nation had desired to meet in the July 13 final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. Now, Brazil will not make the trip to Maracana, which they had arrogantly kept aside for the final visit. Back in 1939, those were the formative days. Friday's debacle not only showed up the chasm between the two sides, it also showed up the abject difference in class between even this one and other bad Brazil sides of the past.

One is not sure what was more humiliating for the Brazilians - the first-half's 18-minute spell that produced four goals past them or that the Germans pulled their feet off the pedal and decided to spare Scolari's side further agony and score any more, playing at half-speed in the second half. Even then, the abject cluelessness of Brazil's defence forced them to score two more.

It has often been said that the world football had turned a corner with last year's Confederations Cup when Brazil hammered a mentally fatigued Spain side and that it was to set the template for the future, especially the World Cup. Everyone invoked the effect of 2013 to suggest what was in store with a young, hungry Brazil raring to get off the blocks. Scolari arrogantly even announced his squad weeks before the deadline, claiming that he had seen at the Confederations what he had need to see, and now there was no looking back. While it is true that Spain never recovered from their Brazilian experience of 2013, it also showed up that Brazil were never ready. All they had believed had been a mirage.

This was not even about the Neymar effect. The talismanic Brazilian's injury that put him out of the World Cup was milked to the maximum by a squad and his manager who used it well to divert the attention from the real flaws. The theatre for the missing Neymar bordered on the absurd - stand in skipper David Luiz holding aloft a No. 10 jersey just before the National anthem was played. The expelled Thiago Silva still making an appearance during warm-up wearing a Forca Neymar cap - it was as if the semifinal was hijacked by the absence of one man, and his not being there would lift the team to great heights. But that was never going to happen, Neymar had been the jet engine fuel for this side, but without him, that the holes would so glaringly show up could never be imagined.

Semi Finals: Predictions and Preview

Latin Post.com takes a look at the schedule and games for the quarterfinals, which start Tuesday:

Brazil Vs.  Germany

Brazil 

The host nation is trying to raise their sixth World Cup Championship, extending their own record. Unfortunately, this will be by far their hardest task yet.

The most obvious reason being because of the injury to superstar scorer Neymar, who led the squad with four goals. To make things even harder, Brazil's team captain Thiago Silva is suspended for the game. Regardless of the injury and suspension, Brazil has one of the best coaches in Luiz Scolari and he will make the proper adjustments.

Germany

Germany is seeking revenge for their Finals loss against Brazil in 2002. This squad knows they won't have a better opportunity to defeat the Brazilians, giving the circumstances of their opponents' status. Germany's leading goal scorer this tournament has been Thomas Müller, with four goals. Also, keep an eye on Miroslav Klose, who is just one goal away from passing Ronaldo as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

Predictions

Germany certainly has the odds makers changing their minds after the vertebra injury to Neymar, and their defense and middle field is among the best. But Brazil will overcome and adapt with David Luiz leading the way. Brazil wins 2-1.

Argentina Vs. Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands came in ranked No. 15 in the world by FIFA, and that fueled this team. The Dutch appeared in the last World Cup Finals in 2010, where they lost to Spain. This team is still on a mission to win their first-ever World Cup title, as they are 0-3 in the big game. The Netherlands have one of the best offensive teams in this year's World Cup. This will be the fifth time these two great soccer countries face off in the World Cup. The biggest one came in the 1978 Finals, when Argentina won 3-1 as the host nation.

Argentina

Argentina is trying to win their third World Cup title, and Lionel Messi has been the main reason for why they have a chance. Aside from Messi's team-leading four goals, he's made precision passes. The biggest issue for Argentina will be whether or not they can stop this high-scoring Netherlands offense. Argentina wasn't as heavily tested as the Netherlands, as they were playing in a weak Group F, but that appeared to have no effect on them as they defeated Switzerland and Belgium in the knockout stages by allowing zero goals in both games combined. Another positive for Argentina: other players have been stepping up with defenses keying in on Messi, and this is the best country in the tournament when it comes to time of possession.

Prediction

This game should go down to the wire. Two great nations fighting off for a chance to play in the finals. Lionel Messi will show why he's a superstar, and the Argentina ball possession factor will be the key contributors. Argentina wins in extra time 3-2.

Quarter Match 2: Brazil seal World Cup semi-final spot by beating Colombia

Thiago Silva and David Luiz score for Brazil, Neymar carried off; James Rodriguez late goal fails to save Colombia.

captain Thiago Silva (R) scores the opening goal  match

David Silva's screaming free kick gave Brazil a 2-1 win over Colombia on Friday to seal a World Cup semi-final place but the favourites saw Neymar stretchered off and captain Thiago Silva suspended for the next clash.

Silva bundled over a Neymar corner kick in the seventh minute to put his country ahead.

David Luiz celebrates after scoring his team's second goal

But he earned his second yellow card of the tournament in the second half for barging into Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina and will misss the semi-final against Germany next Tuesday.

Luiz stepped up to smash an unstoppable 30 metre free kick past Ospina in the 78th minute. But Neymar was carried off in agony late in the game after a rough challenge from Colombia defender Juan Camillo Zuniga.

Match 49: Brazil beat Chile 3—2 on penalties

 Brazil's goalkeeper Julio Cesar (top) celebrates with his teammates after Brazil won their match against Chile in a penalty shoot out

Brazil are through to the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the Colombia—Uruguay match.

Nervous Brazil beat Chile 3-2 on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday after an epic battle that left Neymar and his teammates in tears.

Two first half-goals and were all the teams managed in a fast-paced and tense 90 minutes and extra time in the Mineirao Stadium.

Gonzalo Jara missed the decisive penalty for Chile, crashing his shot against the post and across the face of the goal, to continue his country's record of World Cup misery against Brazil.

Willian and Hulk both missed from the spot for Brazil. But David Luiz, Marcelo and Neymar all kept their cool to score while Julio Cesar made crucial saves from Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez.

Neymar sank to his knees in disbelief afterwards amid widespread tears of joy. Some of the Chilean players hid their weeping under their shirts as they left the field.

Earlier on a hot afternoon in Belo Horizonte, Sanchez pounced on poor Brazlian defending to equalise for Chile in the 32nd minute, cancelling out an 18th-minute opener for the hosts that appeared to be an own-goal by Jara but was awarded by FIFA to David Luiz.

Brazil had the majority of the chances, but were overcome by nerves in the second half and were hugely lucky to survive at the end of extra time when substitute Pinilla lashed a shot against the bar from the edge of the area.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side now look forward to a quarter-final against either Uruguay or Colombia in Fortaleza, while Chile contemplate a last-16 exit at the hands of Brazil, just as they suffered in 1998 and 2010.

As in all of their group games, Brazil started frantically amid a backdrop of deafening noise from the crowd of almost 60,000.

Chile were subjected to the sort of high and energetic pressing game they normally inflict upon others and Marcelo shot narrowly wide before English referee Howard Webb rejected loud appeals for a penalty when Hulk went down in the area after coming together with Mauricio Isla.

Brazil and their fans celebrated in the 18th minute, however. Neymar swung in a corner from the left and Thiago Silva headed the ball on towards the back post, went into the net off Jara who was under pressure from David Luiz.

Chile, who also lost to Brazil in the 1962 semi-finals, faced a huge challenge to come from behind, but Brazil allowed them to control possession and gifted them an equaliser.

Hulk made a careless pass, allowing Eduardo Vargas to pounce and set up Sanchez, who had hardly been involved in the game but came alive to coolly beat Julio Cesar in goal.

Handball denies Hulk

Jorge Sampaoli's side were then forced to weather a storm into half-time that saw a Neymar header deflected past the post and Claudio Bravo tip a powerful 30-yard drive from Daniel Alves over the bar.

Chile looked more comfortable after the restart, even if they had a let-off 10 minutes into the second half when Hulk succeeded in turning the ball into the net with his knee and wheeled away in celebration.

Hulk thought he had redeemed himself for his error in Chile's equaliser, but the referee ruled that he had controlled the ball with his arm and brandished a yellow card to the burly forward.

As nerves took hold, Brazil needed Cesar to come to the rescue with a fine reaction save from an Aranguiz shot, while Neymar, so often the hosts' source of genuine inspiration, faded from the game.

Instead Hulk came to the forefront. He delivered a glorious cross from the left that Jo, on in place of Fred, could not convert and then stung the palms of Bravo after accelerating into the box.

In the first period of extra time, Hulk produced another trademark thunderbolt from 30 yards that was blocked by Bravo.

Chile, meanwhile, seemed happy to take their chances in the lottery of a penalty shoot-out. Pinilla almost won it right at the last, only for the woodwork to rescue Brazil, as it did again from Jara's crucial penalty.

Brazil's goalkeeper Julio Cesar (R) dives the right way but Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara's penalty kick clatters off the post during the penalty shootout 

The shoot—out against Chile went as following, with Brazil starting:

1—0 David Luiz beats Claudio Bravo into the left corner [Goal]

1—0 Mauricio Pinilla aims straight at Julio Cesar

1—0 Substitute Willian sends Bravo into wrong corner but aims wide left

1—0 Alexis Sanchez aims low left but Cesar dives to stop the ball for his second save

2—0 Marcelo aims mid—high left to beat Bravo [Goal]

2—1 Charles Aranguiz smashes the ball into the roof of the net to revive Chile’s hopes [Goal]

2—1 Hulk aims right at Bravo

2—2 Marcelo Diaz sends Cesar diving to his left and scores into the middle of the goal to level matters after four penalties each [Goal]

3—2 Neymar keeps his cool and beats Bravo into the low left corner [Goal]

3—2 Gonzalo Jara is denied by the right post which gives Brazil victory.

Match 36: Brazil beats Cameroon 4-1, reaches 2nd round

Brazil's Neymar, David Luiz and Dani Alves (R-L) celebrate scoring the second goal against Cameroon

Neymar scored twice in the first half to lead Brazil to a 4-1 win over Cameroon on Monday, helping the hosts secure a spot in the second round of the World Cup.

Fred and Fernandinho added second-half goals for Brazil, which advanced from Group A.

Neymar opened the scoring off a low cross by midfielder Luiz Gustavo in the 17th minute, deftly side-footing the ball home from close range, then restored the lead with a low right-foot strike from the top of the penalty area in the 35th after a pass by left back Marcelo.

Midfielder Joel Matip had equalized for already eliminated Cameroon with a tap-in from inside the area in the 26th.

Fred found the net in the 49th and the substitute Fernandinho struck in the 84th.

Match 16: Mexico holds host Brazil to 0-0 draw

Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a series of outstanding saves to help Mexico hold Brazil to a pulsating 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Tuesday.

The result leaves both teams with four points each after two games in Group A, ahead of their decisive final matches. Croatia and Cameroon meet on Wednesday for their second games after both opened with defeats.

Ochoa’s first remarkable save prevented Neymar from scoring in the 26th minute. The Brazil striker’s powerful header looked set to fly just inside the post when the goalkeeper dived to his right to push the ball wide.

Ochoa also made three other difficult saves to keep the hosts from breaking the deadlock a shot by Paulinho in the 44th, a second-half effort by Neymar from inside the area and a close-range header by Thiago Silva in the 86th minute which produced a remarkable block by the Mexico keeper.

After that, there was still time for a thrilling end to the game in the northeastern city of Fortaleza.

The referee dismissed Brazilian claims for a penalty after Marcelo seemed to have been grabbed in the 88th minute. Mexico then had two great chances, first with Andres Guardado’s shot over the crossbar in the 90th and then with an effort by Raul Jimenez that was stopped by Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar in injury time.

It was an evenly-balanced game at the Arena Castelao, with Mexico not allowing Brazil to take control. El Tri didn’t play defensively and created chances throughout the match, especially with long-range shots, while Brazil turned up the pressure in the second half.

But there was no getting past Ochoa.

Fans wearing Brazil’s green and yellow colours were the majority as expected, but Mexicans took over large seating sections of the stadium and at times were louder than the local fans. Among those in the crowd of 60,342 was NBA star Kobe Bryant, of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Match 1: Croatia outraged over penalty in loss to Brazil

Organizers may as well give the World Cup to Brazil right now, according to Croatia’s Dejan Lovren, after the defender found himself at the centre of a penalty controversy in his team’s 3-1 defeat to the host nation Thursday.

Brazil striker Fred went down in the penalty area under slight contact from Lovren in the 71st minute, allowing Neymar to convert a spot kick that gave Brazil a decisive 2-1 lead in Thursday’s tournament opener.

Lovren said referee Yuichi Nishimura’s decision was a “big shame” and that “if it is like this, then we can give the World Cup directly to Brazil.

“Of course I am angry. I want to cry now but what can you do?” he told reporters. “If you look at the game I think you saw everything. So I don’t need to explain.”

Criticism of Nishimura’s penalty award was shared by Croatia coach Niko Kovac, whose team continues its Group A campaign against Cameroon on Wednesday.

“It was a wrong decision by the referee,” Kovac said. “I think that the whole world saw the big mistake.”

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic added, “This was a great game by both teams and it’s a pity it was spoiled by a bad referee decision.”

Other Croatia players said they were pleased with their performance while expressing anger about the officiating.

Defender Vedran Corluka described the penalty as “embarrassing.”

“I think that when it was 1-1 in the second half we were quite in control of the game and after he gave the penalty it changed the game,” Corluka told The Associated Press. “I congratulate Brazil, but I don’t think they deserved to win today.”