He shoots, he scores: Germany midfielder Toni Kroos nets his side's third past Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar
Goals galore: Toni Kroos (right) celebrates after scoring Germany's third
Kroos-ing to victory: Kroos wheels away to celebrate after scoring his second goal two minutes after his first
Easy does it: Sami Khedira slots the ball home to give Germany into a 5-0 lead on 29 minutes
Delight and despair: Germany celebrate while Brazil players look on inside the Estadio Mineirao
No way back: Oscar and Fred stand ready at the centre circle with little hope of getting back into the game
Hit for six: Germany's Chelsea frontman Andre Schurrle punches the air after making it 6-0
Pointing the way: Schurrle smiles after scoring Germany's seventh goal eleven minutes before the end
Too little, too late: Oscar scored a consolation for the host nation in the final minute of normal time
For neutrals, it was the strangest emotion, feeling overwhelming admiration for what an athlete has done, yet the same fierce desire to want it to stop.
Those who follow boxing may recognise the dilemma. They have been such winning hosts that, at the end, Brazil were like a popular, game but mismatched, fighter, sent in against an opponent far beyond his class. Everyone just hoped they would come through all right.
The physical damage having occurred when Neymar was carried off against Colombia, the lasting effect here will be emotional. Where do Brazil go now? To a third place play-off in Brasilia, logistically, but in one night the feelgood factor of this tournament was all but snatched away from the hosts. Humiliated on the world stage at a home World Cup – again. If defeat at the Maracana by Uruguay in 1950 scarred the psyche, what of this?
Yet one almost felt a little sympathy for Germany, too. They were brilliant, masterful, and there was always a chance they would spoil the party – but not like this. They were almost too good, too effective. They couldn’t find the off switch. Wave after wave of forward play scythed through a Brazilian defence shorn of Silva to hold it together.
Running riot: Germany scored four goals in six first-half minutes during Tuesday's semi-final against Brazil
Disbelief: Fernandinho, Maicon and David Luiz look bemused following Germany's fifth goal of the evening
SUPER STAT
Germany’s second, third, fourth and fifth goals came in a devastating six-minute spell in the first half.
All the emotion had gone into mourning Neymar’s absence. ‘Forca Neymar,’ said the baseball caps worn by Luis Felipe Scolari and his men, as they got off the bus at the stadium. Again, it was all too much. Heart ruling head. Brazil tried to win a World Cup on feelings.
Good defenders, that’s what it needs. Great goalscorers. Wonderful passers. Energy, inspiration, intelligence. Germany had all that, and were never troubled, not even by the outpouring of overwrought nationalism that sweeps Brazil into their World Cup matches. Brazil’s players sung the national anthem with Cesar and Luiz clutching Neymar’s empty shirt. Would it matter?
Bastian Schweinsteiger could still be seen grinning at kick-off. Happy in his skin. He knew Germany had a force more powerful than the power of prayer.
Fall to the floor: Brazil defender David Luiz is grounded under the challenge of Miroslav Klose
Halted: Germany defender Mats Hummels stops striker Fred in his tracks as Oscar looks to retrieve the ball
So when Germany forced the first significant attack of the game after eight minutes, it was no surprise. Sami Khedira’s shot was heading for goal until it struck a team-mate, but this misfortune was soon forgotten. The next five German attacks ended in goals, in what may be the most remarkable passage of play in the history of this competition.
The first, 11 minutes in, was uncomplicated enough, a Toni Kroos corner that found Thomas Muller inexplicably unmarked eight yards out, Dante and David Luiz both drawn away by decoy runs, like small children distracted by a shiny thing. The finish looked easy, but wasn’t, Muller needed to take the ball on the volley, but with enough calm to keep it on target. He did everything right. He often does.
In the meantime, at the other end, Philipp Lahm made the tackle of the night on a marauding Marcelo, just to show it wasn’t all about the forwards, and then it began – the wholesale destruction of a nation’s footballers and its football philosophy. Six minutes of shock, awe and heartbreak.
Little and large: Germany defender Jerome Boateng towers over Brazil left back Marcelo
Midfield battle: Germany's Sami Khedira races forward away from Brazil's Luis Gustavo
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2685137/Brazil-1-7-Germany-Hosts-stunned-Thomas-Muller-Co-score-four-goals-SIX-minutes-reach-World-Cup-final.html#ixzz36ykhr7iX
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
