Host nation Brazil through to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup courtesy of a 3-2 win via penalty kicks over hard-fighting Chile after the match ended 1-1 at the end of normal time and extra-time.
Chile came close to winning the match when Mauricio Pinilla crashed a shot off the Brazil crossbar 30 seconds to the end of extra-time, only for the striker to see his penalty – Chile’s first – saved by Julio Cesar.
And though Willian shot Brazil’s second penalty wide, Cesar kept out Alexis Sanchez’s following penalty to give Brazil the advantage, which Marcelo extended to put the home side 2-0 up.
Successful penalties for Chile from Charles Aranguiz and Marcelo Diaz either side of Hulk’s saved penalty for Brazil however saw Chile pull level at 2-2 going into the potentially deciding fifth penalties.
Star forward Neymar scored Brazil’s fifth penalty while Jara’s penalty hit the post and went across goal and away to give Brazil a dramatic win.
David Luiz had given Brazil an 18th minute lead, rewarding Selaçao’s bright start to the match by scoring with his thigh off a Thiago Silva flick-on from a Neymar cornerkick.
Brazil continued to edge the encounter but a poor pass by Hulk from a throw-in in the Brazil half saw Eduardo Vargas gain possession for Chile and find Sanchez who slotted a low strike past Cesar to level for Chile after 31 minutes.
Brazil should have retaken the lead six minutes later when Claudio Bravo came out to the edge of the area to claim a cornerkick only to miss the ball, but Brazil was unable to pounce on the Chile keeper’s blunder.
Dani Alves saw a dipping effort tipped over by Bravo lstr in the first half while Hulk had a goal ruled out for handball early in the second half as Brazil continued to search for a winner in normal time.
Aranguiz then pulled a good save out of Cesar with a snap shot just past the hour mark before substitute Jô squandered a glorious chance minutes after coming on, steering a Hulk cross wide under pressure from a Chile defender.
Bravo would keep out efforts from Neymar and Hulk as the match ended 1-1 in regulation time before a scrappy extra-time period ended in dramatic fashion and eventually saw Brazil come through a tense penalty shootout.
As a result, Brazil will face the winner of the second last 16 match between Uruguay and Colombia, ensuring there will be a South American representative in the semi-finals.