Brazil's most heartbreaking World Cup defeat had been a 2-1 loss to Uruguay in the last match of the 1950 World Cup that it hosted. The loss to Germany ranks right up there with that painful defeat. Fans were in shock, some leaving way before the final whistle.
The Brazilian crowd that had been supporting the national team throughout the tournament jeered loudly after the match, and again when the players raised their hands to applaud them. Luiz kneeled on the ground and prayed, with his arms and index fingers pointed up. Oscar, who scored Brazil's lone goal, cried near midfield. "The players knew from the beginning that by playing at home our obligation was to reach the final and win the final," Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said.
Home-field advantage wasn't enough for Brazil again, but not having its top two players available for the semifinal played a major part in the defeat at the Mineirao Stadium. Without suspended captain Thiago Silva and injured star striker Neymar, the Brazilian team appeared rudderless.
Although Silva's replacement, Dante, was not directly responsible for Germany's goals, the defense seemed lost from the beginning, giving up space and easy chances to the Germans, who had a 5-0 lead by the 29th minute.
