As It Happened: Brazil 1-2 Belgium

Welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the World Cup quarter-final between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena.


Pre-tournament favourites Brazil have tasted defeat just once in the last two years, while the Red Devils are on a 23-match unbeaten run - the longest of any remaining side in the competition.

Something has to give this evening, though, in what is just the second ever meeting between the two sides on the world stage.

Follow all of the action as it unfolds with our extensive updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

BRAZIL: Allison; Fagner, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Fernandinho, Paulinho, Coutinho; Willian, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus

SUBS: Ederson, Cassio, Geromel, Filipe Luis, D. Costa, Augusto, Marquinhos, Fred, Firmino, Taison


BELGIUM: Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Meunier, Witsel, Fellaini, Chadli; De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku

SUBS: Mignolet, Casteels, Vermaelen, Carrasco, Mertens, T. Hazard, Tielemans, Januzaj, Dembele, Boyata, Batshuayi, Dendoncker





















































What a superb game of football that was, contested between two sides with talent aplenty throughout their ranks. It is Brazil, boasting the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Neymar and Alisson, who are heading home with more than a week of the tournament left to play, while Belgium now have a semi-final against France to look forward to in St Petersburg next Tuesday. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!

BELGIUM ARE THROUGH TO THE WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS!


90+6 min FULL TIME: BRAZIL 1-2 BELGIUM

90+4 min SAVE! So, so close to the most dramatic of conclusions. The ball is worked to Philippe Coutinho and his trademark curler was hit as well as he would have liked, but Thibaut Courtois got a strong hand to it. Surely that is game over?!

90+2 min We are now midway through added time and Belgium are standing firm. Not quite sure how their fans are able to still watch because Brazil have been by far the better side in this second half, but they are now just a couple of minutes away from seeing the job through.

90 min YELLOW CARD! Fagner is booked for hauling down Eden Hazard, who has been superb tonight. VAR is needed once again as Thomas Meunier got a hand to Neymar inside the box when both men were leaping, but once again contact was minimal.

88 min BELGIUM SUB! Romelu Lukaku is replaced with two minutes left to play. Youri Tielemans is introduced, but that is a big risk from Roberto Martinez as this one could well go to extra time. Belgium need to see things through.

86 min YELLOW CARD! What a brilliant game this has been. Brazil have done enough to level things up, in truth, yet as things stand Belgium are just four minutes from the semi-finals. A cynical challenge from Fernandinho sees him become the latest player to earn a yellow card.

84 min BELGIUM SUB! Nacer Chadli makes way but, rather than bringing on Yannick Carrasco, Roberto Martinez turns to Thomas Vermaelen for the final stages. Youri Tielemans' sub has been delayed, presumably because of an injury scare. A big chance for Coutinho goes begging, skewing his shot wide from 12 yards.

82 min CLOSE! Renato Augusto should have had a second. The Beijing Guoan midfielder had time to set himself, but his shot was guided wide of the target. Nacer Chadli goes to ground, giving Belgium a chance to regroup and receive some instructions.

80 min Renato Augusto got between two Belgium defenders and glanced the ball into the bottom right of Thibaut Courtois's goal. Neymar breaks down the left as Brazil chase a second, with the ball breaking to Roberto Firmino - it is fired over the crossbar.

78 min All of a sudden it is game on at the Kazan Arena! A fine ball over the top from Philippe Coutinho and an even better-headed finish from Renato Augusto, who got the better of Thibaut Courtois despite being on the field for just three minutes.

77 min GOAL! BRAZIL 1-2 BELGIUM (RENATO AUGUSTO)

76 min BRAZIL SUB! A third and final change for Brazil - unless it goes to extra time - as Renato Augusto, used regularly in qualifying, comes on for Paulinho in central midfield. Belgium still have all three subs available to make.

74 min SAVE! Douglas Costa has looked bright since coming on, testing Courtois for the second time in 10 minutes. It was a tame effort, though, and the Belgium goalkeeper was always expected to keep it out from the central position.

72 min YELLOW CARD! Thomas Meunier tracks back and fouls out Neymar - that is what you call taking one for the team. The wing-back, who is currently down with cramp, will now miss the semi-finals if Belgium can hold on.

70 min Belgium having so many chances to counter now, with this latest breakaway ending when a heavy touch let the otherwise-brilliant Lukaku down. No goals for him tonight, and the same for Hazard, but they have both performed very well.

68 min Axel Witsel catches the face of Fernandinho. The former also stayed down on the floor and an opposition player tapped the ball into his afro-covered head, which he was not at all happy with. There are now just 22 minutes for Brazil to find a couple of goals.

66 min Tite has already turned to his bench twice by bringing on Roberto Firmino and Douglas Costa. Roberto Martinez still has a full selection of players to choose from, and it is surely just a matter of time before we see Dries Mertens to freshen things up.

64 min SAVE! This has been a great quarter-final. It is Brazil's turn to attack, with Douglas Costa's shot seemingly heading for the bottom corner if not for the intervention of Thibaut Courtois. The ball run loose to Paulinho, who could not control it.

62 min SHOT! Belgium looked so threatening towards the end of the first half, but Brazil have had the better of this second half. That so nearly changed seconds ago, however, as a swift counter ended with Hazard shooting right across goal and wide.

60 min BRAZIL SUB! Douglas Costa, another of those who probably should have started today - does Willian really offer enough? - is on for Gabriel Jesus. Brazil have some momentum on their side but they cannot seem to score at the moment.

58 min NO PENALTY! A big let-off for Belgium, that, because Vincent Kompany did go to ground and he did get some of Gabriel Jesus. Brazil will now feel that everything is against them, so expect a big response from the Selecao.

56 min PENALTY APPEAL! Courtois was unable to get his hands to the ball and Neymar left the goalkeeper exposed by hooking it into the middle. From the next attack, Gabriel Jesus went down under a tackle from clubmate Vincent Kompany. VAR is needed...

54 min PENALTY APPEAL! The referee almost laughs in Neymar's face at this attempt to win a penalty. Fair play to the official - Neymar tried to kick the leg of Marouane Fellaini, rather than the other way around. Great decision.

52 min The good news for the neutral is that there does appear to be another goal or two in this match. It would be good if Brazil can bag it, setting us up for a potential grandstand finish, and they so nearly got one as Marcelo's cross was inches out of Firmino's reach.

50 min BELGIUM SUB! Toby Alderweireld, who is not one of those walking a disciplinary tightrope, cuts across Paulinho and is shown the game's first yellow card. Plenty of red shirts back as Brazil look to create something.

48 min Neymar is still not moving freely, but there is no way Tite will take off his star man unless the pain become unbearable. Marouane Fellaini with a lovely little flick-on into the path of Eden Hazard, but the forward could not quite set himself for the shot.

46 min RESTART! We are back under way at the Kazan Arena, where there is news of a substitution. Roberto Firmino, who many felt should have started the game, is on for Willian. Firmino will go through the middle and Gabriel Jesus out on the right.


Neymar went to ground under contact from Thomas Meunier towards the end of the first half, but there was not enough contact for the referee to point to the spot. Belgium take a shock two-goal lead into the break, and not since 1938 have Brazil recovered from that deficit in the second half of a World Cup match.



45+2 min HALF TIME: BRAZIL 0-2 BELGIUM

45 min SAVE! Vincent Kompany with a smart near-post flick that Alisson had to be alert to deal with. If anything, the Red Devils have looked the more like to score the game's third goal since Kevin De Bruyne's strike hit the back of the net.

43 min SAVE! Good refereeing, as play is brought back for Paulinho's barge on De Bruyne 25 yards from goal. Belgium have really turned it on over the past five minutes, and they fancy bagging themselves a third goal before the half-time interval, with De Bruyne's shot helped over the bar.

41 min Truly brilliant from Eden Hazard, who takes the ball past one, then two and then a third Brazilian player. There were players over but the attack fizzled out, giving the South Americans a chance to recover. This has been a gripping first half.

39 min SAVES! Marcelo with some more good work down Brazil's left, with his deflected shot being helped behind by Courtois. The corner is worked to Philippe Coutinho on the edge of the box, whose curler needed dealing with by the Belgium keeper.

37 min What a strike that was from De Bruyne, by the way, picking out the one place that Alisson was unable to reach. Romelu Lukaku also had a part to play by carrying the ball forward and picking out De Bruyne to do the rest. Up the other end, Jesus heads wide.

35 min It must be said, this has been a brilliant display from a balanced Belgium side. Brazil are now well and truly in trouble, requiring a couple of goals to force extra time and keep their hopes of a sixth World Cup crown alive.

33 min The first goal was fortunate... there was nothing of the sort on this occasion. Kevin De Bruyne, for some reason, was allowed to take five or six touches of the ball, before arrowing a shot right out of Alisson's reach from the edge of the box.

32 min GOAL! BRAZIL 0-2 BELGIUM (KEVIN DE BRUYNE)

31 min Neymar is back on the field but is still not running freely. Vertonghen is dumped onto the turf, although the free kick had already been awarded for his shove on Willian. From the wide free kick, the ball drops to Fernandinho whose shot is blocked.

29 min Brazil looking to probe down the left, where Marcelo and Coutinho are overloading. Neymar has just left the field and is currently receiving treatment to his calf, which is a real worry for the Selecao.

27 min SAVE! Nearly a third of the match played and Belgium are the side who have a goal to protect. Brazil starting to knock on the door, though, with Marcelo getting down the left and cutting inside before testing Courtois down low.

25 min Tite will not panic just yet, but he will want to see his side create something before the interval - ideally creating something that leads to an equaliser. Coutinho has already cut inside and got a shot on target, which is usually their go-to attack.

23 min The sides have been very evenly matched on the whole, and that is reflected in the possession which is nearly 50-50. Belgium lead, though, thanks to a horror moment for Fernandinho who put the ball into his own net.

21 min Belgium not exactly sitting back and looking to protect this slender lead - they know that the best form of defence is often to attack. Hazard carried the ball and feeds it through to Meunier, whose intended pass to Lukaku was cut out by Marcelo.

19 min SAVE! Brazil have done well since going a goal behind, and they have now got a shot on target to show for their efforts. Philippe Coutinho made some space, but his effort was all too easy for Thibaut Courtois to deal with down low.

27 min SAVE! Nearly a third of the match played and Belgium are the side who have a goal to protect. Brazil starting to knock on the door, though, with Marcelo getting down the left and cutting inside before testing Courtois down low.

25 min Tite will not panic just yet, but he will want to see his side create something before the interval - ideally creating something that leads to an equaliser. Coutinho has already cut inside and got a shot on target, which is usually their go-to attack.

23 min The sides have been very evenly matched on the whole, and that is reflected in the possession which is nearly 50-50. Belgium lead, though, thanks to a horror moment for Fernandinho who put the ball into his own net.

21 min Belgium not exactly sitting back and looking to protect this slender lead - they know that the best form of defence is often to attack. Hazard carried the ball and feeds it through to Meunier, whose intended pass to Lukaku was cut out by Marcelo.

19 min SAVE! Brazil have done well since going a goal behind, and they have now got a shot on target to show for their efforts. Philippe Coutinho made some space, but his effort was all too easy for Thibaut Courtois to deal with down low.

17 min Brazil attack as they go in response of an instant equaliser, but Belgium again do just about enough to thwart their opponents. The Selecao now in a rare position of having to chase a goal, potentially opening them up at the back.

15 min Belgium open the scoring in Kazan thanks to a huge slice of fortune! A corner from the left was swung towards the front post, where Fernandinho was one of three Brazil players tasked with heading it clear, only to get his contact all wrong and instead glance it past Alisson.

14 min GOAL! BRAZIL 0-1 BELGIUM (FERNANDINHO, OG)

13 min A swarm of yellow charging at Belgium's defenders at every opportunity in the opening 15 minutes. The closest either side have come to a breakthrough so far was via that Thiago Silva header that clipped the frame of the goal.

12 min Belgium are not looking all that comfortable at the back, desperately scrambling the ball away to concede a corner, from which it was again hearts in mouths. Martinez's men need to find their composure before their opponents capitalise.

11 min Silva was put off by Miranda, who got a little touch on the corner. If not for that, the PSG centre-back surely would have been burying the ball, just like we have seen him do already this tournament. A lively start to proceedings.

9 min OFF THE POST! Thiago Silva comes within inches of giving Brazil an early lead in Kazan. The centre-back could not make proper contact on the ball from five yards, seeing it clip the post. Belgium get the ball forward quickly, but Hazard's close-range shot is blocked in front of goal.

7 min Fellaini gets the man and none of the ball when up against Neymar, earning a telling off from the referee and numerous jeers from the stands. The Selecao are looking to keep their foot on the ball following an even start to the game.

5 min Some quick passing from Brazil culminates in Neymar getting a cross in from the left, which Thibaut Courtois catches ahead of Philippe Coutinho. Both sides showing some attacking intent in the opening throes of this quarter-final tie.

3 min A first sight of goal for the more advanced Kevin De Bruyne, who shakes off his man and drags the ball wide of Alisson's target. Plenty of intriguing battles across the field, including that tussle between clubmates Fernandinho and De Bruyne.

1 min KICKOFF! We are under way in this second quarter-final of the 2018 World Cup. France have already booked their place in next week's semi, now it is over to Brazil and Belgium in what should be an entertaining contest in Kazan.

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