04/07/2014 Match of the Day

Rodriguez! Benzema, into the roof of the net! Thomas Muller with a

beauty! Hello everyone, they have lit up the tournament with 16 goals

between them but tonight we say goodbye to two of the World Cup is

back brightest stars. Coming up, Brazil against Colombia and Germany

against France for a place in the semifinals. Joining us in the

studio, Mark Lawrenson alongside Tim Vickery and Chris Wood will. In the

day's early game, it was the battle of two European heavyweights as

Germany took on France at the Maracana. Germany were looking to

make their fourth straight World Cup semifinal. COMMENTATOR: France have

everyone fit. Griezmann starts his third game here with Arsenal's

Olivier Giroud dropping to the bench. Liverpool's Sakho fit again,

preferred to Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny. I asked Arsene Wenger if

he knew why Per Mertesacker was missing, if he was one of the seven

German said to be suffering from flu. He has not heard from his

Arsenal centre-half. The German press believe it is a tactical

decision. Balloting in the centre and Lahm shuffled to right back --

Boateng in the centre. Patrice Evra, head down, Benzema on

the edge of the penalty area behind him. Not a great header away. Lahm

shovels it out only as far as Pogba. Cab

it was an effort that fizzed wide from Benzema. Great little ball from

Valbuena. A quick look, linked into the feat. Should have done better. I

am not really sure why he has gone with the side foot. Schweinsteiger

to Ozil. He scored against Algeria in the last round. That is a free

kick, a nudge from Pogba. A big occasion for Pogba. 21.

Kroos with the free kick, and it is 1-0! Hummel has got up from the

back! And Germany lead! Mats Hummels. In a competition of

wonderful goals it is an old-fashioned centre-half getting

up. Not unlike the goal Marouane Fellaini scored for Belgium. Similar

position, great ball income and a clever header the position he is in.

Scored against Portugal, has another, and Germany lead. Ozil.

Schweinsteiger. Sami Khedira, looking for Muller. The ball came

across Muller, he had to change his stride, which enabled lorries to

come and collect. Playing some lovely approach football. They are,

but I will say France are still a threat, especially when Valbuena

gets on the ball. Here's Griezmann. Pulls it back to Valbuena. The save

comes out to Benzema. A little bit fortunate, having made the initial

fine stop. A brilliant save, this. A good ball in as well, this is.

Griezmann with the touch. Here's Matuidi.

Patrice Evra was Max 62nd cap. Joachim Low looks on. Evra took the

throw, Valbuena has won a free kick. That is exactly what he has done, he

has won the free kick. Schweinsteiger can't believe it.

There seem to be nothing in that at all from Schweinsteiger but France

now have an opportunity to draw level. 49 minutes gone. Valbuena

with it, took it quickly, Germany completely switched off and Evra got

in behind, and the flag stayed down. He got absolutely nothing on it

whatsoever. They are off, aren't they? Two or three of them seem to

be. May be the linesman's problem on the far side is the light and the

shade. Valbuena, a good start to the second half by France, Matuidi, he

overran it. Goalkick. I think he was anticipating a touch from a defender

as well. I think he was hoping, as much as anticipating. I think it is

quite obvious what Deschamps said at half-time, raised the tempo and the

pace of this game. Matuidi was looking for Griezmann.

It was cut out. It is a poor header by Boateng in the first place that

put the French on the attack. They got away with it, Germany. Valbuena

with the corner for France. Benzema is in there, it is very long. Away

by Schweinsteiger to Yohan Cabaye. The cross in, Varane. The goalkeeper

will be glad he has had something to do. Germany over the years have so

rarely lost in the knockout stages from this sort of position. What

this game is lacking at the moment is a little bit of energy. They have

gone flat, very flat. Oh. That is a mistake, Schurrle, it has to be a

corner. It is a corner. Everyone in the stadium can see the deflection.

1998, his team beat Italy at the stage on penalties. Lovely ball by

Varane. Benzema took it down. Brilliant block. Evra. Beyond

Khedira. Neuer comes. Gathers. What a difference the shout from the

defender. I just wonder if Benzema had let the ball run through to

Valbuena, it might have had a different outcome. He did well,

great block by Hummels. Loic Remy. Benzema. Matuidi. The goalkeeper got

everything behind it. A comfortable save.

Matuidi. Griezmann through the middle, there is Benzema, Evra

started the run. He was fouled by Schurrle. This time he is saying he

didn't. Ten minutes to go. France have got seven players in the

opposition's penalty area. Some -- it is a competition where we have

seen so many late goals. The whole complexion of games completely

changed. Valbuena with it. It bounced off a German. Looks like it

is Hummels. It was headed against him. By the left-back, I think.

Valbuena with it, Griezmann tight on the goalkeeper who comes and

gathers. Brilliant, what a difference that makes, pressure off,

break, here we go, you we go! Muller, beyond Debussy. Ozil, to me,

looked at least three out of sight. Back towards Muller, he has missed

it, Schurrle has missed it! What a chance. Germany saw the semifinal

beckoning. It was on, I think. It was on. When eventually it comes to

Schurrle, he can have another touch if he wants. Not on his favoured

foot. Have a little touch. Don't panic, Mr Mannering. Lloris has just

kept France in the World Cup. Muller. Away from the stumbling

Evra. Schurrle is there, pulled off his marker, Schurrle to finish it!

Varane with the block! It hit him as much as anything, but it worked.

Griezmann. Benzema, need something special from him, Karim Benzema.

Neuer, one-handed, almost nonchalant. Pogba. Matuidi wants it.

Benzema awaits. Oh, it is a terrible ball, their chance is gone. Well, I

think Benzema has got to go low and hard across the goalkeeper. He is

not going to score from there, sorry. There is a whole host of

players in there as well, if he pulls it back. And he knows, look.

France are the letting out. Germany are through to a

record-breaking fourth semifinal in a row. The goal by centre-back Mats

Hummels after 13 minutes enough, and the campaign for France ends, and

they will know this is a game they might have won, had they been more

aggressive, more adventurous, but it is Germany who roll on again,

inexorable, to the last four of a World Cup. France zero -1 Germany. I

am happy, a little bit tired of course because was such a hard

fight, but we are very happy. We now have enough time to prepare for the

semifinals and we hope to go through and win the title. There is not a

big difference between Germany and France. But maybe we miss a bit of

experience. Germany are used to playing that kind of competition.

They are used to going very far in that kind of competition, and they

showed it today. We have a lot of things to improve after that, and I

hope it will help us for the Euros entrance. How important was your

goalkeeper today? He is always very important, because he is always at

100%, he is always there when something happened. He gathered some

good saves today as well, so of course he is very important, she is

the best and we are very glad that we have him. Gentlemen, there are a

couple of ways to go out of Cup. You can go out in a blaze of glory, we

saw the USA do that the other day, and you can go out with a whimper.

Can you accused France of the latter today? Yes, they showed far too much

respect. Every game, they have pressed too high, won the ball back

respect. Every game, they have pressed too high, won the ball in

high areas, pressed too high, won the ball in

high then they dropped. As soon as the game kicked off, Germany had the

ball for about five or six minutes. Tactical from France? It must've

been something they on, trying to get Germany high up the field,

because they know the back for our slow. Griezmann, Valbuena and

Benzema were trying to draw Germany out and catch them on the break but

it didn't work. They never got possession in midfield. Germany

ruled the game. Mark, you were at the Maracana, the only game that

decided it was very much a tailored to centre halves Tash Makro the only

goal that decided it. It was a tale of one. We lacked maybe a bit of

experience, said Hugo Lloris. Varane, who we know will be a top

player eventually, but he is never in a position to fight Hummels, or

to get into a position to deal with a free kick. It is just a little

push, just as he starts to leap, and there is nothing he can do about it.

It is still about experience, he is still very much a kid. Sakho, if

anything, should be picking up Hummels. Does he need to be more of

a bully? It will come with experience, he is 21. When he is 23

or 24 he will be pushing Hummels out of the way. But I agree with Mark,

Sakho should have picked them up. He is a more experienced defender. It

is interesting as well, Tim, a feud tactical changes Joachim Low made,

one was to bring in Hummels and not play Mertesacker. We heard people

say maybe was because he had flu but he wanted a bit more pace in the

defence and it certainly worked. Right at the start of the game,

France got behind the German defence and it was Hummels and claim -- came

across. Right at the start he had a huge impact on the game.

you play Lama in his best position, as good a full-back has anyone in

the world, and then they can play Kadir and Schweinsteiger. If you

looked at the way they played today, the two of them together, nearly all

the time, made such a difference. The best ranch chances came to

Benzema -- French. His movement is good, his technique is excellent at

times. You do not know what you're going to get from him, I have

watched him a lot in a French shirt. People would say, put your laces

through it. He has tried place it. If it goes in, it is class. He is

very confident when he is on his game. Alan Shearer said he is good

but not great. I agree with that, he is not consistent enough. He is like

Berbatov, if he is up for it, he will score you goals, we have seen

that in a Real Madrid shirt and a French shirt. But if he does not

feel right, you are playing with ten men. Roll that across the goal, make

an own goal out of it. But strikers are strikers, they think, I can

score from every angle! He is playing against the best goalkeeper

in the world. When he is hot, he is very hot. Interesting, again, the

comments from Didier Deschamps, saying France were too timid,

showing too much respect. I think that comes from the manager! The

other thing is, how long did it take them to make a positive change? He

says experience comes from playing in big games. It was a cup match,

that was the clue, with 20 minutes left you are going out of the World

Cup, what do you do? You push on. If there were negatives for France, the

shining light was the work of Valbuena, who got behind the German

defence on numerous occasions. He has had a great tournament, he is

29. He has always been the best playmaker for my say. He is busy,

great technique, great vision. -- Marseille. When he gets the ball, he

tries to make things happen. Didier Deschamps would have known him from

Marseille. He has only got a one-year contract, but they are

prepared to let him go, the new manager does not fancy him. They say

he is struggling to get a club, which is difficult to understand,

because he was their most creative player in all their games. He is a

star player, gives them penetration down the flanks. That is it! When it

comes down to it, his fitness catches him out. We talked about the

tactical changes for Germany, Schweinsteiger and Khedira together

in midfield. You are doubling your protection, and they are very

intelligent players. They take positions from each other. All the

clips that we show, they are never very far away at all. If somebody

like Schweinsteiger gets on the ball, Khedira goes forward and tries

to release somebody else. They are always in the position, and in terms

of playing that position, that is one of the most important thing is,

you want to know where your players are. These have had a hard game

against Algeria, Schweinsteiger nearly had to be carried off with

cramp. Khedira's fitness is not great. France said, have the ball,

do what you want. Make the game quick, do not let them settle on the

ball and the game changes. If you give quality players time on the

ball, you see what happens. You said many times, you take your position

off you're playing partner. Kids, that is what you do! The French are

relatively young in midfield, so you can go and press, but it didn't

happen. Germany go through. Next stop for the laser, to find out who

will face them in the semifinals, Brazil against in-form Colombia. --

Fortaleza. Into the Estadio Castelao, the

Crucible, a test of tactics, skill and nerve, who can keep their cool

in Fortaleza? Brazil have been accused of being more flaky than

formidable, Colombia engaging and exciting. Brazil have Neymar,

Colombia have Rodriguez. Over the last 12 months, Felipe Scolari has

had five untouchables who have played every minute of the

Confederations Cup campaign and every minute of this World Cup.

Until today - two of the five are out, Luis Gustavo is suspended, Dani

Alves is dropped. Paulinho and Maicon come in, his first

competitive start for his country for three years. Colombia have not

beaten Brazil in 23 years, and they have never beaten them on Brazilian

soil. Jose Pekerman switch to 4-4-2, but today they revert to one up

front. Ibarbo returns, and Guarin replaces Aguilera in midfield. With

five goals and two assists, Rodriguez's assists are outdoing

those of Neymar and Messi, doubling his international goals tally at

this tournament. -- stats. Brazil's have not lost a home match of any

description since 2002, and that match was played in this city. --

Brazil. Fernandinho releases Neymar. Fred arriving in the box, Zapata

does well, a corner, though. He is very quick and mobile in covering

the ground, knows where the danger is, got to get to Neymar early.

It is dangerous, it is in at the back post, and Thiago Silva, the

captain, has put Brazil in front! In the seventh minute of the game!

Neymar's corner, Thiago Silva at the back post, Scolari celebrates,

Brazil celebrates, 1-0, the hosts. Just looking at it here, he evades

everyone, he ends up putting it in with his left knee, improvising

brilliantly, but what a ball! The goalkeeper comes, goes back, in off

his thigh, great start. The man who has been having to justify his

captaincy this week puts Brazil in front in the quarterfinal.

Guarin seeing a lot of the ball in the first moments of the game.

Oh, that has ruffled the side netting! He is some player, look at

the pace has, as soon as he comes inside, it said of his left foot. It

flicked off Thiago Silva, didn't it? Yeah, inches wide.

Mistake by Ibarbo, Maicon, Fred. It might just be a corner, this. It is!

Good pace, getting back, but gives the corner away. Maicon trying to

get down this right-hand side. Neymar on the corner. 1-0 Brazil. Up

go the heads, well out by Yepes. One driver has lost it in a very

dangerous area! Hulk for Brazil! They cannot clear this, Colombia.

Just too high for Neymar. Real peril here for Colombia.

Getting to the byline, pulling it back, great defending. He sees the

danger, Davitt Luiz Court back, great defending. He sees the

danger, he was going to cash in again at the far post. -- Davitt

Luiz. -- David. Great chance, Hulk, good save,

Ospina! Ospina again! That is better, isn't it, from Brazil? Hulk

again, lovely pass. He takes some of the power out of it, that is the

challenge for Brazil, getting that three to play well together all at

the same time. At the moment for the hosts, so far

so good, deservedly won-0 up. Great challenge by Cuadrado, immediately

onto his feet. Brilliant block, Thiago Silva might

just have saved Brazil there, it was practically three onto one. I think

Scolari will be pleased with how Paulinho has done, because he did

not look on it at the beginning of the tournament but has done better

to gay. Hulk needs two bites to control that. -- today. He takes on

is an eager. -- Zuniga. It is a goal kick, it hit Fred. Hulk, look at

that reverse pass. Fred couldn't guide it in. Fernandinho. Neymar,

lovely dummy. Neymar flattened after the ball had gone, and they do have

a free kick. The free kick has been taken. Fred

in the middle does not quite reach it. Beautifully back into Hulk, good

save, Ospina! Fred is there, cleared away and the whistle has gone.

Ospina saving Romm the onrushing Oscar. They could have had this game

out of sight, Brazil. Yes, Colombia are really rocking here, great move

again. Down at his left hand side, brilliant save.

Ram Moss with a suspicious as to Cuadrado. -- Ramos. Guarin over the

top of the bar. That is Rodriguez saying to him, calm down. I think he

wanted back, he manages to scoop it out, but Rodriguez wanted back. Not

the best finishes, look at his touch. He sees the pass, but his

colleague has not got the same technique. Zuniga jumping with Hulk,

who has found Oscar, then Neymar, who will get onto this. Fred down

the middle, getting forward. Free kick, Brazil. You just run straight

in, he cannot have any complaints. -- he. He just takes him out.

Still about half an hour of playing time to go. Neymar on this free kick

for Brazil. The delivery is very comfortable for

Ospina, but he has it taken away from him. That is not going to

count. And he has brought his cards with him. And Thiago Silva, that is

one Thiago... Silva will now not play in the semifinal of the World

Cup if Brazil are in it. I think he was just running back, look, he gets

in his way. He should know better, really.

He will be missed if they make it there. Yeah. Oh, that is ridiculous,

isn't it? Yepes with an excellent tackle on

Neymar. He is ten yards deeper than everyone else and makes a great

challenge. Fernandinho away, Zuniga onto it, he

goes over Paulinho's foot, Colombian free kick. Every minute that goes

by, the tension is just ratcheting up another notch or two, and it is

the Brazilians who are feeling it. That could go anywhere, Yepes, the

flag is up on this nearside. It is not going to count. Yepes thinks he

has scored, but he hasn't. The flag was up before the ball went in the

net. Fantastic ball in, Rodriguez. It looks to me as if he's just

offside. It is a melee! It just breaks to him.

Well, you must have been deemed to be offside. Yeah, it is a matter of

an inch or two, but I think he is just off as that is taken. You can't

help feeling the writing is on the wall. They are becoming less

composed, Brazil, as the game goes on. Hulk trying to get away from

Sanchez. Free kick, did not like the way he approached that, the

referee, two feet from a distance. Rodriguez into the book. Trying to

pull out of it. But Rodriguez into the book. Trying to

pull out of it. he is high, coming in with his studs raised. Not

controlled. David Luiz. He hits it, it is dipping, it is in, it is

brilliant! Oh, what a goal from David Luiz! Absolute perfection!

Look at this, unbelievable, but it is a side foot, he hits down on it.

Great finish, a side foot from there, he has no right to score.

Look out on the dip on it. Incredible. It makes its word, go up

and down quickly, the keeper can't take up the flight of it. Resilience

and free kicks! David Luiz. I have seen him miss loads of those, he

doesn't care, he knows there is one of them in him somewhere. What a

time to find it. Oscar. Neymar. Neymar is going to go for goal. It

is wide of the right-hand post. Great effort. Just demonstrating the

quality of his left foot as well. Can't bend it in. Problems for

Pekerman's Colombia. Maicon. He has given it away. Bacca. Rodriguez.

Carlos Bacca, away from Marcella, James Rodriguez, Bacca, he is

tripped by Julio Cesar, it is a penalty kick for Colombia, and it is

a yellow card for Julio Cesar. Look at this, quality, he has eyes on the

back of his head, just tries to lift it over the keeper, clear penalty. I

think the only thing saving him is David Luiz getting in behind him,

otherwise he is. James Rodriguez came into this World Cup with five

international goals. If he puts this way he has taken it to 11, but much,

much more importantly, he has put Colombia back into this

quarterfinal, if, if James Rodriguez can score now.

2-1! And the rest of this is a Brazilian ordeal! Brilliance from

Rodriguez. Quality penalty. Julio Cesar stands up for an age. He shows

he has got that little feint, he waits for him to go, and puts it in

the opposite corner. Trying to away from Oscar. Oscar did

well. It will be a Colombian corner, despite what Oscar is trying

to claim. He just about got that right, the rest. Five minutes to go.

Juan Quintero with the Colombian corner kick hello to the post.

Ramires did well. They can break here. Oscar. -- low to the post will

stop redshirts outnumbering the yellow. Oscar has not done much with

it, in the end. WHISTLE Neymar is still down. Yes, look. A

knee in the back, Zuniga. He felt that one. That is a picture no

Brazilian wants to see. Kent Aero, Armero -- one Quintero,

out it goes from Thiago Silva. Quintero. Sanchez. Armero. Rodriguez

with a header on, Ramos, trying to find yet there is, put behind by

Marcella. It is a corner kick to Colombia, and it is agony for

Brazil. If this delivery is right, it could be chaos. In it goes, the

flick on is wide from Ramos! A teasing ball in. Just can't steer it

in the direction of the goal. Look at Ramires chasing this. Good

play by Ramires. Oh, nasty. Has he won a free kick? Yes, he has, and

that might get them over the line. That is it, Brazil are through!

CHEERING Brazil are into the semifinals of

their own World Cup! David Luiz, matchwinner, with a stunning free

kick. But, oh, how they had to hang on, after James Rodriguez's penalty.

Brazil 2-1 Colombia. Let's bring you an update straight away on the big

news, that challenge on Neymar, apparently, according to Scolari, he

is set to miss the semifinal against Germany. Scolari said I think Neymar

would be able to play. Everyone knows he has been hunted for three

matches it has been happening. He has been sent to a private clinic

for a series of exams will stop it was need in the lower back, he was

crying out with pain, I can guarantee you it won't be easy. So

Brazil are through, Tim Vickery, but at a huge cost, not only potentially

losing Neymar but also without Thiago Silva as well. Probably will

the two most important players in the team. Thiago Silva is definitely

out. The operative word from Scolari was I think. This is the challenge

from Zuniga. If he has not cracked anything, that is all it is, it is

pain. Me and waddle are alike, we think he plays full stop Scolari's

complaint, he says he thinks he has been hunted. Fernandinho has been

sent out to hunt. This is the yellow card for Thiago Silva. A stupid one.

When you are sat on a yellow, knowing you can miss with another

one, it is absolutely stupid. I agree with the lads, it is stupid.

He is such an important player to Brazil. He holds the defence

together. He is the defence. Without him, they have not played great

football anyway, so without him organising it at the back it will be

difficult. They seemed a bit more comfortable, particularly must first

half, and it was Thiago Silva who got the goal. It is a bad goal as

well, in so far as Colombia are concerned. Sanchez was completely

ball watching. He has no idea. All of a sudden he looks at the ball,

and bang. Do you not think there that the goalie has come three yards

and he thought he would get it. I know he should not it, he will think

he was should follow it anyway, but the goalkeeper comes three yards,

stops and goes back. For me, the keeper should have, got it. Even

so, you still have to do your bit. It was interesting to say that

Neymar had been hunted, what about James Rodriguez? He was certainly in

a spot of bother. We will get to that a bit later, but it was very

much a day of the centre halves, Hummel 's scoring for Germany, Silva

and then David Luiz. Rather than talk about a great free kick, Chris

Waddle, you are talking about the goalkeeper. It is a great strike,

but what is the goalkeeper doing? Let the wall do its job and a guard

that side. If he stands where he should come he catches it, you

doesn't have to dive and Miss it. Where is he? He stands where he

should stand, it is an easy save. It is a great strike. We are not

nit-picking, because it was a great strike come but Chris is right. You

stand at that side of the wall, you could head it away. 24 free kicks in

the Premier League since he scored one, but if you score them, make

sure use got them in the World Cup. We have talked a lot about South

American stars at this World Cup. We know James Rodriguez is a great

player and the second half we really went for it, and he got the goal

that put Colombia back in the game. From the penalty spot. It is his

lovely pass in. Carlos Bacca had come on. A pity he was not 100% fit

because it gives them a bit more pace up front. We are all arguing

about the colour of the car. When I first saw it, I thought it was

redder than red. If it had been at the other end it would have been

read. Gary Lineker said the same thing, he never looked. David Luiz

saying at the end, this is the man, and he has been a real star of the

tournament. Monaco will do well to keep hold of him. I don't think

David Luiz would do that if Brazil had been beaten though. He would

have been lynched if he was congratulating the competition. Six

goals in the World Cup for James Rodriguez, second youngest behind

Pele, he was 17 when he hit six in 1958. Did you see the giant locust

that landed on his arm, we have an arrow out, look at the size of

that. What is it called, Fernandinho? Another pest,

Fernandinho, you talked about how much he has been involved in the

game, and all rather negatively. He got away with a lot, particularly

against Rodriguez. Largely because of the referee. This was against

Chile. A repeat offender, he just kept taking players out all the

time. I understand Scolari will say to him, James Rodriguez is a player

by the way, but where is the referee in all of this? It was just repeat

offence after repeat offence. There was no referee tonight on the pitch.

More than 30 fouls for Brazil in this game. This is unfortunately

what they have become. Brazil still provide you with some fantastic

flashes of play, but they don't look to be you so much. Rodriguez, that

might have been his first attempt at a tackle, you got booked. David Luiz

scored from it. If that had been Neymar, all of those tackles

against? They would have cancelled the World Cup, wouldn't they? Put

this in context for Brazil, you have covered this for the BBC, up until

this point, how significant is it that they are still in it and the

party continues for the moment? Huge, while they are still in it,

they are happy, but I think they are losing friends all around the world,

because you are seeing what they have become. They can be ruthless in

their efficiency. Brazilian football has always been about winning, but

over time the question, how do you win, receives a different answer.

They used to do it by having the best passing midfielders in the

world and elaborate in there. Then they got spooked by the physical

developer de Vrij game and thought you can't win that any more, so how

do you win? Set pieces, counterattacks. They don't beat you

any more on flow. They beat you on moments, and they try and stop your

flow with a foul. He needs to interrupt your flow, he wants you to

shut up! Don't forget, Argentina against Belgium on radio five live.

We have live coverage of Netherlands against Costa Rica and next Tuesday

Brazil against Germany from Belo Horizonte. We start of the day with

eight left, we are now down to six, we are reaching the business end.

Axe for watching. Goodbye. -- thanks for watching.

If your friend was taken away... # Not giving in... #

I'm afraid there's not much we can do.

..how would you fight to get her back?