Brazil and Germany are all set to rekindle the fire of their fierce rivalry, as these two football powerhouses clash in a highly-anticipated semifinal battle on Tuesday 4:00 p.m EST at Estadio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
What's on the line?
*Brazil's bid of reclaiming the World Cup crown took a big hit after ace striker Neymar suffered a fractured bone in his back in the quarterfinal match with Colombia.
The 22-year old Barca wonder has been the team's leading scorer with four goals in the tourney. Moreover, his ability to dribble through opponents' defense created opportunity for his teammates to strike. With Neymar out for the rest of the campaign, Brazil will lean heavily on Hulk, Oscar, Fred and David Luiz, who blasted the winner in Brazil's 2-1 win over Colombia.
A victory will give Brazil its first final stint since the 2002 Japan-Korea FIFA World Cup, where they defeated, coincidentally, the Germans to win their fifth title in nation's history.
*Germany has been tough as nail throughout the tournament, overcoming adversities and bucking great odds to earn a spot in the final four for an impressive fourth consecutive time.
Germany's head coach Joachim Low showcased his brilliance in their quarterfinal duel with European rival France, as his guys perfectly executed his plays to nullify the Les Blues' offensive arsenal.
Mats Hummel's goal won them the match, but it would have not been possible without excellent defending from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the rest of the defensive line.
Injury and Suspension Report
Brazil: The Selacao will be playing without Neymar (back injury) and Thiago Silva (one-game ban), who scored the first goal in the quarterfinal but committed his second yellow card of the tourney in the same match.
Germany: Shkodran Mustafi will miss the rest of the tourney with a thigh problem while Per Mertesacker is still suffering from a flu-like symptom.
Predicted Lineup for Semifinal
Germany (Predicted, 4-3-3): Neuer; Hummels, Boateng, Mertesacker, Howedes; Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Kroos; Özil, Müller, Götze
Brazil (Predicted 4-2-3-1): Júlio César; Marcelo, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Dani Alves; Fernandinho, Paulinho; Hulk, Neymar, Oscar; Fred.
Prediction
Telegraph football expert John Ley predicted the Brazil-Germany affair to go all the way to extra time and settle their score with a penalty shootout. He predicted a 1-1 score with the Germans moving with a win PK victory.
Live Stream Information
Brazil vs. Germany semifinal match will begin at 4:00 p.m EST. It will be televised on ESPN and ESPN3, and can be watched online via live stream on ESPN Watch and Univision (Spanish Language). Livescore and stats are available on ESPNFC.
For more Brazil vs. Germany and other World Cup updates, read more at Travelers Today.
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