Worst defeat in 100 years: Brazil plead for forgiveness

Belo Horizonte - Brazil's World Cup dream was smashed into oblivion Tuesday as majestic Germany ran riot to win an extraordinary semi-final 7-1, sending the hosts crashing to the worst defeat in their 100-year footballing history. Germany scored five goals in 18 astonishing first-half minutes on their way to a 7-1 semi-final mauling of Brazil on Tuesday setting a string of records and leaving the host nation's fans angry and bewildered.

Germany will meet Argentina or the Netherlands in Sunday's final in Rio de Janeiro after an unbelievable performance in which striker Miroslav Klose became the tournament's highest scorer of all time with his 16th World Cup goal.  Fireworks boomed across the city, and fans in the German capital took up the refrain chanted by the German supporters in Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, Brazil: “What a day! So beautifully wonderful is today!” Their national team had stunned the world, including Germany itself, with a 7-1 trouncing of Brazil to reach its eighth World Cup final.

Details: Brazil vs. Croatia: Final score 3-1, Neymar the hero in controversial win

Brazil just about got past Croatia in the opening game of the World Cup thanks to two goals from Neymar, but they required a highly dubious penalty to do so.

Brazil will be relieved to have gotten the win, but there will surely be questions asked of Luiz Felipe Scolari's side after they were extremely fortunate to do so. The hosts saw almost all of the ball, but they were caused major problems by a Croatia side that looked to play on the break and attacked in a very primitive fashion. Brazil will certainly need to improve if they are to have any hope of winning the tournament.

After initially looking utterly terrified during the anthems, Brazil started off on the front foot, but didn't have it all their own way. Croatia had already sent one warning signal earlier through Ivica Olic breaking down the left, and they came within an inch of scoring as Ivan Perisic's cross from the right found Olic, who headed wide when he really ought to have scored.