BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil — Germany scored five goals in the opening 30 minutes, including a record-setting 16th from Miroslav Klose, to take an astounding 5-0 lead over Brazil at halftime on Tuesday in the World Cup semifinals.
Toni Kroos scored twice in two minutes and Thomas Mueller and Sami Khedira added the others.
Klose made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute at the Mineirao Stadium, pushing him past Brazil striker Ronaldo’s 15 career World Cup goals. The Germany striker had his original shot saved, but he followed up as Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar spilled the ball. Klose then easily scored from the rebound.
Kroos scored his first goal in the 25th minute, knocking in a cross from Philipp Lahm that bypassed Mueller in the middle. He made it 4-0 a minute later, beating Cesar after a defensive mistake from Fernandinho left the ball on the feet of Khedira.
Brazil, playing without the injured Neymar and the suspended Thiago Silva, has not lost an official competitive match on home soil since 1975, when Peru won 3-1 at the Mineirao Stadium in the Copa America.
On Tuesday, with Bernard playing in Neymar’s place as the third forward, Brazil attacked from the start. But they failed to get any solid chances, and it wasn’t long before the Germans opened up the defense and started the rout.
Mueller scored the first goal, one-timing a corner from Kroos past Cesar in the 11th minute. Khedira made it 5-0 in the 29th, taking a pass from Mesut Ozil and again beating Cesar.
It’s the first time Brazil has allowed five goals in a World Cup match since the 1938 tournament in France, when the team beat Poland 6-5 in extra time.
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