World Cup Quarter Final Brazil 2-1 Colombia Silva 7, Luiz 68 Rodriguez pen 80 Brazil are through to the semi-finals with a deserved if narrow 2-1 victory over Colombia whose late penalty made it an anxious last few minutes for the host nation.
After doubling their lead this should have been a routine win for Brazil but conceding a late penalty lead to a tense finale, and as Colombia rallied the Samba Boys were almost left to regret not taking their first half chances.
In an important game like this, and with the expectations of a nation resting on the result, what supporters and players need is an early goal to settle the nerves. And Brazil delivered within seven minutes as a Neymar corner was woefully defended at the far post allowing skipper Thiago Silva to bundle home the opener.
Brazil became relaxed and started to display their skills for the first time this World Cup against Colombia who found themselves a goal behind for the first time in the tournament,
Certainly the Samba Boys should have sewn the game up by the break but chances were spurned, with Hulk the main culprit, and all the while Los Cafeteros, who where unbeaten in their last 11 games, gradually began to get a foothold in the game and pose problems on the break for the Brazilian rearguard.
The referee, Carlos Carballo, seem determined to keep the game flowing even to the extent of allowing heavy challenges from both teams to go unpunished, with Colombia's James Rodriguez in particular singled out for some rough treatment.
So there was a particular irony that the Colombian star was booked for an innocuous challenge after the break which was to lead to Brazil doubling their advantage.
David Luiz from 30 yards hammered the free kick over the wall and into the roof of the net past the despairing dive of keeper Ospina.
The roar from the home crowd was one of relief as Colombia had begun to look threatening whilst the attacking threat of Brazil was beginning to diminish.
And so the game seemed to be heading for a comfortable win for the hosts until with ten minutes remaining keeper Julio Cesar brought down substitute Carlos Bacca after he had been released into the penalty area with a delightful through ball by Rodriguez.
The Colombian players wanted Cesar dismissed for preventing a goalscoring opportunity but Luiz was arguably in position to clear so only a yellow card was shown.
Rodriguez it was who kept his nerve to send Cesar the wrong way and silence the Maracana crowd.
The tension returned for both crowd and players as Los Cafeteros poured forward in search for an equaliser but despite a couple of half chances and five minutes of added time Brazil hung on for a semi final meeting with Germany.
The one downside to the victory was an injury to Neymar who took a knee in the back from Juan Zuniga and was carried off on a stretcher.
