IF it were to be a boxing game, the referee would’ve stopped the game at half-time to save Brazil from permanent embarrassment or injury.

By that time Germany had already battered Brazilian pride at the Estadio Mineirao, putting five goals past Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men in their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

Brazilians refer to the ‘Maracanazo’ as the worst point in their rich footballing history. The ‘Mineirazo’, though, beats it by a long, long way.

Also read:Germany humiliate Brazil 7-1

Germany added insult to injury with another two goals in the second-half for a 7-1 rout — incidentally Brazil’s worst ever defeat and the biggest margin of victory ever in a World Cup semi-final.

A young Brazil fan reacts during the semi-final.—AP

Another record was made during the German victory. Striker Miroslav Klose became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, scoring his 16th goal of the tournament to move ahead of Brazilian legend Ronaldo when he slotted in Germany’s second in the 23rd minute.

Thomas Mueller had put Joachim Loew’s men ahead in the 11th before two goals in two minutes by Toni Kroos put Germany in cruise control by the 26th.

Sami Khedira made it 5-0 a minute before the half-hour mark as Brazil looked haplessly towards total humiliation at the hands of Germany.

Andre Schuerrle, who came on for Klose on the hour mark, added a brace before Oscar scored a late consolation for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men.

David Luiz weeps after his team lost to Germany in the semi-final.—Reuters

Brazil came into the match rocked by the injury to their star man Neymar in their 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarter-finals while captain and defensive stalwart Thiago Silva was out due to suspension.

The team had vowed to win the World Cup for the 22-year-old Neymar and David Luiz, handed, the captain’s arm-band, held aloft his No 1 10 jersey as the team came out for the match. The fans too responded. The verses of the national anthem reverberated around the Mineirao.

Brazil started the match with purpose as Germany couldn’t control the possession in the opening exchanges. Mueller’s goal, however, changed it all.

Marcelo lost the ball on the halfway line as the Germans charged at Julio Cesar’s goal but the Real Madrid left-back recovered to concede a corner.

Kroos whipped in a delightful ball which sailed all the way through to an unmarked Mueller at the far post and the Bayern Munich attacker volleyed it in.

For a moment, the Mineirao was silenced. But it came back to life, urging Brazil to score the leveller.

Instead, it was Germany who scored.

A superb passing move saw Kroos find Mueller inside the box and his backheel found its way to Klose whose first attempt was blocked by Cesar but the 36-year-old veteran reacted quickest to side-foot home the rebound.

Brazil were missing Silva. His replacement Dante and Luiz looked stretched at the back. Maybe it was passion, or the over-exuberance of a young Selecao.

A Brazil fan cries as Germany score against her team.—AP

Devoid of leadership, it was barely 60 seconds later when they conceded again. Phillip Lahm’s cross found its way to Kroos and he unleashed a left-footed shot which flew into the corner of the net.

Brazil were being ripped apart in front of their own fans and Kroos’ second arrived shortly afterwards.

Khedira was found inside the box on the left and his cut-back was tapped in by the 24-year-old Kroos.

And three minutes later, it was Khedira’s turn to get on the scoresheet.

Khedira ran through the centre before flicking the ball wide to Mesut Ozil. Ozil, Khedira’s former Real Madrid team-mate, pulled it back to him and he made no mistake in putting it past a helpless Cesar.

And still there were two-thirds of the game left. Germany had to decide whether to pile on more misery on the hosts or call it a day. It seemed as if they had decided the latter as Brazil tried to salvage some pride.

Luiz Felipe Scolari brought on Ramires and Paulinho for Hulk and Fernandinho at the start of the second-half as they searched in vain for a goal.

When they did create an opportunity, there was no way past an excellent Manuel Neuer. An excellent save off Oscar was followed by an even better double save off Paulinho.

Neuer was probably showing Cesar how to inspire the team from the back. Cesar hadn’t even got a touch on the ball on each of Germany’s first five goals.

He didn’t on the sixth either.

Schuerrle had come on for Klose in the 58th and the new record goalscorer left to a standing ovation from the crowd.

Toni Kroos celebrates after scoring the fourth goal for Germany.—AP

And it took him just 11 minutes to get on the scoresheet. Lahm fired in a cross from the right into the box with Scherrle and Mueller closing in and it was the former who reacted first to tuck it in.

Scolari, who had masterminded Brazil’s 2-0 win in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany, certainly looked bereft of ideas and personnel.

He brought on Schuerrle’s Chelsea team-mate Willian. But this Brazil team is a far cry from their teams of the past. And it was ruthlessly shown by Germany in the 79th.

This time, Schuerrle controlled an aerial ball on the left and shot high into the roof of the net from a very acute angle.

Germany’s biggest ever World Cup win came at the 2002 World Cup against Saudi Arabia when they ripped them apart 8-0.

They could’ve done the same this time around had Ozil not shot wide on the stroke of full-time.

Instead, it was Brazil who scored immediately at the other end — Oscar completing a quick counter for a late consolation.

But the damage to the pride had already been done.

Brazilians were hoping that victory at the World Cup final at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium on July 13 would help them recover from the ‘Maracanazo’.

“Maracanazo’ is referred to their 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in the final of the 1950 World Cup.

Instead 64 years after that national tragedy, as the World Cup came again to Brazil, another national tragedy struck.

This time at the Mineirao — what would probably another 64 years later be known as the ‘Mineirazo’.

Published in Dawn, July 10th , 2014