Belgium beat Brazil 2-1 to reach semi-finals

Belgium beat World Cup 2018 favourites Brazil 2-1 on Friday to set up a semi-final against France in Saint Petersburg.

 A Fernandinho own goal in the 16th minute followed by a superb Kevin De Bruyne strike just after the half-hour put Belgium in the driving seat. Brazil pulled a goal back through Renato Augusto but it was too little, too late. The result gave Belgium a spot in the last four for the second time after 1986 and sent Brazil home at the quarter-final stage for the third time in the last four World Cups.

Follow highlights of Brazil vs Belgium, World Cup 2018 quarterfinal here.

•  00:37 hrs IST: It will be the first time since 2006 that four European teams will feature in the World Cup semifinals. The two other spots will be decided in Sunday’s quarterfinals which feature Russia vs. Croatia and England vs. Sweden.

• 00:31 hrs IST: Brazil have now been eliminated by a European nation in each of the last four editions of the World Cup (France 2006, Netherlands 2010, Germany 2014 and Belgium 2018).

• 00:26 hrs IST: That’s all! Belgium have won the match! They have reached the semi-finals!

• 00:21 hrs IST: What a save! Courtois is the man of the match for Belgium right now. Neymar with the shot and the goalkeeper pulls off a blinder. The resultant corner was nothing special.
• 00:17 hrs IST: Fagner gets the yellow card and It is the end of regulation time. Extra time is 5 minutes!
•  01;11 hrs IST: Phillipe Coutinho! A great chance for the midfielder but the shot was wide! This is really sad from Brazil as they keep missing chances!
• 01:08 hrs IST: Eden Hazard looks out of breath and this will be the perfect time for a substitution. Brazil are trying a lot and Augusto’s shot was agonisingly close to the target!
• 01:05 hrs IST: Renato Augusto scores! Brazil have made it 1-2 against Belgium!
• 01:04 hrs IST: There is still hope for Brazil - The five-time champions have come from behind to win eight knockout games at the World Cup, more than any other team.
• 01:00 hrs IST: Thibaut Courtois has been a wall in front of the Belgian goal. Brazil players have tried everything but the Chelsea goalkeeper has been brilliant!
• 00:56 hrs IST: Romelu Lukaku has been an absolute beast down the flanks. His runs have been brilliant and Brazil defenders have no answers!
• 00:50 hrs IST: Eden Hazard! A brilliant counter-attack by Belgium and the shot from Hazard was just wide of the target. On the other hand, Courtois is having a blinder of a match!
• 00:49 hrs IST: None of the previous 130 occasions of a team being 2+ goals down at half-time in a World Cup match have seen that side come back to win that game
• 00:46 hr IST: A strong penalty shout from Brazil and the referee goes to VAR. But, the decision goes against him!
• 00:43 hrs IST: STAT ATTACK -- Brazil had not conceded a goal in Russia since a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their first group match.
• 00:39 hrs IST: Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. A good chance for Roberto Firmino but he was unable to get the final touch.
• 00:34 hrs IST: The second half is underway and straight away, both the teams are looking for the goal. Romelu Lukaku had a chance but the shot never came.
• 00:29 hrs IST: Brazil has had chances to get back into the game, notably in the 37th minute when a curling shot from outside the area from Philippe Coutinho was palmed away by Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
• 00:19 hrs IST: Kevin De Bruyne has made it 2-0 for Belgium in the World Cup quarterfinal against Brazil with a superb strike from the edge of the area at the end of a swift counter-attack. Earlier, Nacer Chadli’s corner kick that was met at the near post by Vincent Kompany with a flick, then diverted into the back of the net off Brazil midfielder Fernandinho’s shoulder in the 13th minute.
• 00:16 hrs IST: Brazil have won just one of the 11 World Cup games in which they’ve been 2+ goals behind; vs Sweden in the third-place play-off in 1938
• 00:13 hrs IST: Excluding own goals, Kevin De Bruyne is the 100th different player to score at the 2018 World Cup finals.
• 00:08 hrs IST: Free header for Gabriel Jesus but the shot was nowhere near the target. Marcelo and Coutinho both tried their luck but Courtois is looking in fine form. Belgium 2-0 Brazil.
• 00:07 hrs IST: Belgium has taken a 2-0 lead with Kevin De Bruyne scoring from a long-ranger. Lukaku set it up for the Manchester City playmaker and the shot was absolutely brilliant!
• 00:03 hrs IST: Kevin De Bruyne scores! Belgium lead 2-0 against Brazil in Kazan!
• 00:02 hrs IST: Brazil keep trying but the Belgian defenders are blocking everything at the moment. Another corner for Brazil but the defence was
• 23:58 hrs IST: The latest chance came for Marcelo as he took a shot from outside the box but Courtois once again was up to the task. Belgium lead 1-0 against Brazil.
• 23:55 hrs IST: Fernandinho is only the second Brazilian to score an own goal in a World Cup match, after Marcelo in 2014 (vs Croatia).
• 23:52 hrs IST: Brazil are trying to find the equaliser, but the Belgium defence has been quite compact till now. Philippe Coutinho found the gap, but the shot was too tame to bother Thibaut Courtois.
• 23:48 hrs IST: It was a perfect header by Fernandinho but it was on the wrong end. Alisson had no chance of saving the shot and Belgium have the early advantage!
• 23:45 hrs IST: An own goal from Fernandinho and Belgium lead 1-0 against Brazil!
• 23:42 hrs IST: Toby Alderweireld had no clue about the ball but he was able to clear the danger at the crucial moment. Brilliant start by the Brazilians!
• 23:39 hrs IST: What a chance! Thiago Silva gets the final touch from the corner but the ball hits the bar and was cleared by the defender! On the other end, Nacer Chadli’s shot was just wide of the target.
• 23:35 hrs IST: Belgium fans are getting excited at Kazan Arena as their unofficial anthem, Gala’s “Freed From Desire” Eurodance song, plays over the stadium’s loudspeakers.
• 23:30 hrs IST: We are officially underway! Can Neymar clinch another match for his team or it will be Belgium’s night? 
• 23:25 hrs IST: It’s time for the national anthems and we are minutes away from kick-off. Both teams have not lost a single game in the competition and this can potentially be a blockbuster of an encounter.
• 23:19 hrs IST: A sort of bad news for Brazil -- France are only the second team to beat three different South American nations in a single World Cup tournament, after the Netherlands in 1974.
• 23:13 hrs IST: In other football news, Gianluigi Buffon has completed a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain after his contract with Juventus expired.
• 23:08 hrs IST: Belgium are unbeaten in their last 23 matches (W18 D5 L0); a national record and the longest current run of any team left in the 2018 World Cup.
• 23:03 hrs IST: President Emmanuel Macron will attend France’s World Cup semi-final in Russia. It remains to be seen whether Brazil or Belgium will join them in the summit clash.
• 22:58 hrs IST: In the first match of the day, Raphael Varane gave France the lead with a header in the 40th minute. Antoine Griezmann sent in a free kick from the right side and Varane raced across the area.
• 22:53 hrs IST: The changes suggest that Belgium is likely to play a more direct approach as it tries to make the semifinals of the World Cup for the first time since 1986. The winner in Kazan will meet France in the semifinals.
• 22:49 hrs IST: Now, here is a look at the Brazil XI -- Alisson; Fagner, Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Paulinho, Fernandinho, Coutinho; Willian, Jesus, Neymar.
• 22:46 hrs IST: With defensive midfielder Casemiro out after picking up a second yellow card of the tournament against the Mexicans, Brazil coach Tite has, as expected, brought Fernandinho into his starting line-up in the holding role.
• 22:43 hrs IST: A look at the Belgium starting XI -- Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Meunier, Witsel, Fellaini, Chadli; De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard.
• 22:40 hrs IST: Marcelo returns to the Brazil side after missing the round of 16 match against Mexico because of back spasms, with Filipe Luis making way at left back.

• 22:38 hrs IST: Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has brought Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini, who both scored as substitutes against Japan in the round of 16, into his starting line-up for the World Cup quarter-final against Brazil on Friday.

•  22:35 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to the World Cup quarter-final match between Brazil and Belgium.

In eight games this year, including four at the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, Brazil have kept seven clean sheets and conceded just one goal.
The winner of the clash between Brazil and Belgium will face France in the semi-finals.

HindustanTimes