Germany hit magnificent seven to stun Brazil

Miroslav Klose celebrates breaking the record for most career World Cup goals

I'm not sure anyone could believe what happened on Tuesday night but Alex Johnson reports on what might be the most stunning semi-final in World Cup history.

Germany booked their place in the World Cup final on an incredible night as they thrashed hosts Brazil 7-1 in Belo Horizonte.

It was a humbling night for Brazil as they were humiliated in front of their home fans. Many will point to the absence of star striker Neymar and captain Thiago Silva, but the Samba boys did themselves no favours with a lacklustre and disorganised display.

Germany took the lead on 11 minutes when Thomas Muller was not picked up on a Germany corner. He was completely free to cushion a volley past Julio Cesar for his fifth goal of the World Cup. That poor defending was a sign of things to come for Brazil and Germany were in control of things from that point on.

It was the Germans who were in the ascendancy but they effectively blew Brazil away with a barrage of four goals in six first half minutes. A through ball to Toni Kroos was knocked to Miroslav Klose and he saw his first attempt saved by Cesar. But the veteran striker was quick to knock in the rebound for his 16th World Cup goal to write his name in the record books as the tournament's record scorer.

Things got worse for Brazil minutes later as Kroos helped himself to a quick-fire double. The first strike was a drilled left-footed finish from the edge of the box after a good low cross from Phillipp Lahm had rolled all the way across to him.

Then Brazil effectively shot themselves in the foot as Fernandinho gave the ball away to Kroos straight from the kick off. The German forward exchanged passes with Sami Khedira before slotting the ball into an empty net from close range.

As if that wasn't bad enough for Brazil, there were left shell shocked when Khedira got his name on the score sheet to put Germany five ahead with only 29 minutes on the clock. Brazil gave the ball away in their own half again and Khedira played a one-two with Mesut Ozil and slid the ball past Cesar to send the majority of the stadium into a stunned silence.

Despite the score line, Brazil came out attacking at the start of the second half and brought the best out of Manuel Neuer. Oscar was the first to be thwarted by the Germany keeper before Neuer pulled off an incredible double save. Paulinho was played into the box and his first shot was blocked by the keeper, who got up quickly to deny the same man from the rebound.

But the tide swung back in Germany's favour for most of the second half and Brazil were thankful to Cesar when he pulled off a top save to tip a Muller effort round the post. However it wasn't long until Germany were celebrating again when second half substitute Andre Schurrle got in on the goalscoring act.

It was more poor defending from Brazil on 69 minutes as Lahm slid a ball into the box and Schurrle was unmarked to tap home from close range. That was a simple finish, but Schurrle then got the goal of the game ten minutes later. He chased onto a lofted through ball and fired a magnificent half-volley that flew in off the underside of the bar.

Ozil missed a great chance for an eighth when he was one-on-one but slid the ball wide, before Oscar got one goal back for Brazil when he beat a defender before scoring from inside the box. But that did nothing to brighten Brazil's spirits on a dark night for the World Cup hosts.

Germany will be full of confidence going into the final after a scintillating performance to see them pull off one of the most memorable wins in World Cup history.