World Cup Report: Belgium upsets 5-time world champion Brazil
For the first timeĀ ever, the World Cup will feature a semi-final that does not include Germany, Argentina, or Brazil.
The latest powerhouse country to go home, Brazil has been eliminated in the quarter-final by Belgium.
Bye bye Brazil
In possibly the biggest win in Belgium’s history, they knocked off Brazil by a 2-1 score.
A Fernando Luiz Roza own goal in the 13th minute got things started for Belgium, who would extend the lead in the 31st minute.
#BEL TAKE THE LEAD!#BRA's Fernandinho has the ball ricochet off his head & into his own net! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/BVtTU95iSr
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
Kevin De Bruyne scored Belgium’s second goal of the match with a thundering strike – putting Brazil into a deep hole.
DE BRUYNE WITH A LIGHTNING BOLT!ā”#BEL takes a 2-0 lead over #BRA in the 1st half #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/X8FBfmImE5
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
Brazil nearly dug themselves out of it. Renato Augusto’s brilliant header gave his team hope, cutting the lead in half with 14 minutes to go before stoppage time.
COUTINHO WITH THE PASS, AUGUSTO WITH THE FINISH!#BRA cut #BEL's lead in half, now trailing 2-1 late in the 2nd half #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ly9TCnW95q
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
Furious pressure in Belgium’s end of the field ensued. Neymar had Brazil’s last glorious chance to level the match with time ticking down, curling a shot that Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois turned aside.
Courtois stops Neymar's curling shot in injury-time! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/J1goYugKZ4
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
Despite controlling 57% of possession and having a 26-8 edge in attempts at goal, Brazil’s tournament ends in the quarter-finals for the third time in the last four World Cups.
France moves on
France is moving on to the semi-finals for the first time since 2006, after a 2-0 win over Uruguay.
Playing without one of their star strikers in Edinson Cavani, who missed the match due to injury, Uruguay put up a good fight.
France’s Raphael Varane opened the scoring, heading home the first goal of the match off a free kick in the 40th minute.
WHAT A HEADER!
Varane heads home the opening goal, giving #FRA a 1-0 lead over #URU in the first half #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/2OHPAYDcVT
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
Uruguay nearly answered back minutes later, but France kept a clean sheet thanks to this amazing diving save by keeper Hugo Lloris.
LLORIS WITH A SUPERB STOP!š#FRA still lead 1-0 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/eqpuNMfyM0
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
The deathblow for Uruguay came in the 61st minute, when an Antoine Griezmann free-kick appeared to fool keeper Fernando Muslera, who couldn’t handle the shot – gifting France their second goal.
OUCH!š²ā
Griezmann fires in a shot the bounces off Muslera's hands & into the back of the net! #FRA leads 2-0 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/bqtGuEwt4x
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 6, 2018
France will play their European neighbours, Belgium, in the semi-final.
Saturday’s games
The final two spots in the semi-finals are on the line, with Sweden facing England and Croatia taking on host Russia.
- Sweden vs England (7 am PT / 10 am ET)
- Russia vs Croatia (11 am PT / 2 pm ET)
See also
- All the quarter-final matchups at the FIFA World Cup (SCHEDULE)
- World Cup Report: England fans lose their damn minds after historic shootout win
- Brazil's Neymar inspires the world to make fun of his terrible acting skills (VIDEO)
- British Columbians support government's decision to pull out of FIFA World Cup (SURVEY)
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