Brazil beat Chile in penalty shoot-out to reach quarter-finals

Julio Cesar was the hero for Brazil, saving two penalties after the scores were level 1-1 at the end of extra-time.

The defeat was a bitter blow to Chile, who been hoping to make it to the final eight for the first time since they hosted the World Cup in 1962.

Brazil's opponents in the quarter-finals will be decided in the encounter between Colombia and Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro later Saturday.

David Luiz scored the first penalty for Brazil, but Chile's first two efforts were stopped by the Brazilian keeper. Willian fired his spot kick wide and Charles Aranguiz pulled one back for Chile after Marcello converted his shot.

Hulk missed his kick allowing Marcelo Diaz to level at 2-2. Neymar restored Brazil's lead which turned out to be the winner in a 3-2 victory after Gonzalo Diaz blasted Chile's final kick against the post as the stadium erupted into cheers of joy.

Early in the contest, Brazil deservedly took the lead on 18 minutes when Thiago Silva flicked on a Neymar corner that David Luiz clipped into the net. Television footage, however, showed that Jara touched the ball before it went in.

Fourteen minutes later Chile were on level terms. Eduardo Vargas pounced on a poor throw-in from Marcello to Hulk and fed the ball to Sanchez. The Barcelona striker bore down on goal and fired a right-foot shot past the outstretched arm of Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar.

Brazil responded with a header from Neymar that went narrowly over the bar, and another from Fred after some good work from Brazil's star player.

The Chilean keeper was one of the busiest men on the pitch, tipping a powerful shot from Dani Alves over the bar and punching away a curving cross from Fred.

Chile almost took the lead before half-time when Aranguiz dispossessed Luis Gustavo and fired a shot from close-range that Julio Cesar and the Brazilian defence cleared for a corner.

Brazil had a goal disallowed 10 minutes into the second half when referee Howard Webb adjudged Hulk to have controlled the ball with his upper arm before finding the far corner of the net. Hulk was yellow-carded for the infringement.

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli urged his players to show courage against Brazil and they did just that, fighting for every ball and creating good opportunities.

As Chile gained in confidence, Isla played a superb pass to Arturo Vidal whose fierce shot from close-range was brilliantly saved by Julio Cesar.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari brought on Jo for Fred and the new striker should have done better than to slide past a cross from Hulk just metres from the goalline.

Neymar went close in the final 10 minutes of regular time when he rose to meet a high ball from midfield but placed his header directly into the arms of the goalkeeper. This was followed by a jinking run from Hulk whose powerful shot was well-saved by Bravo.

Brazil had a good chance at the start of extra-time when a shot from Jo was blocked by a Chilean defender. Before that the striker was shown the yellow card for a challenge on the Chilean goalkeeper.

Hulk, one of the liveliest on the Brazil squad, had another long-range effort saved and on the rebound Sanchez fired narrowly wide at the other end, but Julio Cesar had the ball well-covered.

Seconds before the end of extra-time Chile substitute Mauricio Pinilla fired a blistering shot that thundered against the Brazilian crossbar.