Into The Last Four

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil has to be one of the has many football fans dreaming of, seeing four top teams in the world battling it out for the most coveted trophy in football (the real one and not of the American kind).

Host and five times winner Brazil saw off another South American rival in the form of Colombia in the quarter final but their passage had to be paid with a high price indeed.

They lost charismatic captain, Thiago Silva who received his second yellow card of the tournament but the biggest cost would be the loss of the influential Neymar who suffered a fractured vertebra after a challenge by Colombian defender Juan Zuniga.

Early goals by Silva just after seven minutes gave them the lead which came under threat quite a number of times from Colombia. What Jose Pekerman's men lacked this time was the final pass that would open up the Brazillian defence.

David Luis's fantastic free-kick from 30 metres out gave them a two goal cushion but James Rodriguez reduced the deficit ten minutes before time.

It was his sixth goal of the tournament, making him the leading scorer so far. However it was not enough as Brazil held on for a place in the last four while keeping their dream of winning the trophy on home soil alive.

The host are now will take on three times winner, Germany in Belo Horizonte.

In an entertaining last eight clash between the Germans and France at the famous Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Mats Hummels headed goal in the thirteenth minute turned out to be the only goal of the match.

There were three Arsenal players turning out for their respective countries with Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud coming on as substitutes for France while Mesut Ozil played over eighty minutes for the Germans.

The next day saw Argentina taking on Belgium in Brasillia. Gonzalo Higuain's instinctive strike after seven minutes separated both sides at the end of ninety minutes halting Marc Wilmots' men's dream of repeating their 1986 success in reaching the last four in Mexico.

The win set up the fifth meeting between the Argentines and Holland in the World Cup after Louis Van Gaal's team secured their place through a penalty shootout win over Costa Rica.

The match between both sides was the first one that failed to yield a goal during regulation and extra time of play.

Van Gaal's decision to replace his usual goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen with Tim Krul paid dividends after the Newcastle goalkeeper stopped two Costa Rican penalties to give his side a 4-3 win.

Costa Rica were going home with their heads held high, unbeaten in their five matches in Brazil and caught the imagination of many football fans with their display.

For me of course, there was Joel Campbell who based on his performance during the tournament could find himself in the first team squad when he report back for training later.

Indeed, the semi-finals promised to be a mouth watering affair for many football fans.


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