Neymar keeps cool head to fire Brazil through

Neymar keeps cool head to fire Brazil through

It was the width of a post that helped Brazil scrape past Chile on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter finals.

It was the width of the crossbar that saved them in stoppage time at the end of extra-time, when Mauricio Pinilla smashed a shot against it from long distance. 

They came within the thinnest of margins of being turfed out of their own tournament by a spirited, battling Chile side.

Gary Medel was walking wounded, with his leg strapped up, but continued to fight for his team, carrying the banner for his side. 

Alexis Sanchez was superb, the Barcelona forward arguably his team's best player.

Brazil had problems with their forwards throughout the game, with Hulk and Fred wasteful.

So it was no surprise when a defender opened the scoring for them, Paris Saint-Germain's David Luiz.

He pounced at the far post to convert fellow centre-back Thaigo Silva's flick-on.

Belo Horizonte's Mineirao Stadium exploded and Brazilians everywhere relaxed. They have a strong record over the years against Chile.

But this Chile side have not been keen to roll over.

Alexis, the team's talisman, got his side level with a tidy finished into the bottom corner across goal after it was cut back to him in the box. 

His comments on referee Howard Webb before the game, about his worry over the official's impartiality, had been the main talking point.

But Webb's key decision was to disallow a goal by Hulk, whom he decided had handballed it in the build up.

Even with replays it was hard to decide if Webb had made the right call. 

Chile almost won it at the death, in the last minute of extra-time. Pinilla rattled the Brazil crossbar with a piledriver from 25 yards.

Brazil broke away and could have scored at the other end but Ramires shot wide.

So, to penalties. Despite his heroic performance, Alexis missed from the spot.

The pressure heaped on Neymar's shoulders as he took Brazil's fifth, with an outlandish stop-start run up, but he converted.

Gonzalo Jara had to score to keep Chile in it, but his strike cracked off the inside of the right post and stayed out.

Brazil must improve if they are to get any futher; this was their final warning. 

 

Match facts

Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Luiz, Marcelo, Fernandinho (Ramires 72), Gustavo, Hulk, Oscar (Willian 106), Neymar, Fred (Jo 64).

Booked: Luiz Gustavo, Hulk, Jo, Dani Alves.

Goal: David Luiz 18.

Chile: Bravo, Mena, Isla, Silva, Alexis, Vidal (Pinilla 87), Vargas (Gutierrez 56), Medel (Rojas 108), Jara, Aranguiz, Diaz.

Booked: Mena, Silva, Pinilla.

Goal: Sanchez 32.

Referee: Howard Webb (England).