Brazil 2014 WORLD CUP: Brazil in quarter-finals after penalty shootout with Chile

Brazil advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals after prevailing 3-2 on penalties against Chile following a 1-1 draw in Belo Horizonte.
Julio Cesar saved from both Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez either side of a Willian miss to put Brazil in charge, but Claudio Bravo blocked Hulk's effort. However, after Neymar had converted, Gonzalo Jara hit the post with the final penalty to send the hosts through.
Brazil, who had won every one of their three previous World Cup meetings with Chile, carried the greater threat in the opening stages, and they had their lead on 19 minutes: David Luiz was credited with the goal after the ball was diverted into the net following Thiago Silva's flick-on from a Neymar corner.
However, their advantage did not last long. Hulk gave away possession following a defensive throw-in, allowing Eduardo Vargas to play in Alexis Sanchez, who was allowed time to pick his spot.
It proved a frantic first half with chances at both ends, and while Brazil, and Neymar in particular, had the lion's share, they were unable to find the killer touch required to restore their advantage. Fred passed up perhaps the best chance on 40 minutes, blazing over with the goal gaping after a loose ball had fallen into his path.
Brazil thought they were back ahead nine minutes into the second half when Hulk diverted the ball home, but referee Howard Webb -- who had earlier denied Hulk a penalty -- penalised the striker for handball.
The decision appeared to affect the Selecao for a spell, but as the game approached its conclusion they were able to reassert themselves, with Claudio Bravo making a string of saves.
The match went to extra time, but the pattern changed little, with Luiz Felipe Scolari's men on the front foot for the most part but struggling to carve out clear chances.
La Roja came close to snatching it in the dying seconds of extra time when Mauricio Pinilla crashed a shot against the crossbar, but the match was decided by a shootout and the hosts made it through for their seventh successive quarterfinal.

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Welcome home: As Lius Suarez is given an hero welcome

with his kids

Luis Suarez has returned home to Uruguay to a hero's welcome despite being kicked out of the World Cup.

Thank you: A wave to the crowd

Standing on the deck of his mother's home in Lagomar, near Montevideo, he looked carefree as waved to crowds while holding his son Benjamin and daughter Delfina.
While Benjamin might not yet be old enough to know not to sink his teeth into others, perhaps Delfina could teach her father a thing or two about acceptable behaviour.
Suarez's return came as his team-mates trained in Rio ahead of their clash with Colombia and news that Liverpool are set to sell him to Barcelona for £80million.
Fans flocked to Carrasco International Airport to greet the arrival of the banned striker who was handed a nine-game international ban and four-month suspension from all football.

Supporters turned out in force to greet the Liverpool star, with some wearing masks as a tribute.

Suarez mask

we still love you

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica was at the airport at one point, but returned home because Suarez's flight was delayed.
Because of the delay, the crowd of about 1,000 fans were moved from the airport terminal to an adjacent air force base to await his arrival.
Suarez was earlier seen with the rest of the team in Rio as they were pictured arriving at their hotel.
The Uruguayan Football Association are preparing an appeal against the severity of the sentence, which also includes a £64,000 fine. But there is no chance of Suarez appearing at Brazil 2014 again.
FIFA’s strict regulations barring him from any involvement in football mean he cannot even watch Liverpool or Uruguay in action — he is banned from football stadiums and must train alone away from Liverpool’s Melwood training ground.

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Giorgio Chiellini sorry for suarez ban

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has said he feels for Luis Suarez after the striker was handed a nine-game and four-month ban for biting him during the Uruguay victory that knocked the Azzurri out of the World Cup.
Suarez has been banned for nine international matches -- and from all football activity for four months -- after being found guilty of biting Chiellini.
But according to the Juventus defender, world football's governing body has been too harsh on Liverpool forward Suarez.
"I don't have any feelings of joy, revenge or anger towards Suarez for an incident which happened on the field and finished there," Chiellini said on his website.
"I'm just angry and disappointed about losing the game. At the moment, my only thoughts are with Luis and his family, because they're faced with a very difficult period."
While saying FIFA was right to punish Suarez, Chiellini said he felt the punishment did not fit the crime.
"I always considered the disciplinary measures by the governing organisations to be unequivocal, but at the same time I think what they have proposed is excessive," the 29-year-old added.
"I sincerely hope that he will be permitted at least to be close to his teammates during their games, because forbidding him from doing that would be alienating him."

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Bobby Womack is dead age 70

Bobby Womack, whose singing career spanned in nearly six decades, has died at the age of 70. His recording label XL Recordings confirmed the sad news on Friday, June 27. More info regarding his death is not immediately available.

Womack was born on March 4, 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio. At the age of 10, Womack started touring the gospel circuit with his family as the Womack Brothers with his father on the guitar and mother on the organ. In 1961, they joined Sam Cooke's label SAR and changed their group's name to the Valentinos.

The group disbanded after Cooke passed away in 1964. The "Across 110th Street" hitmaker later made headlines after marrying his widow Barbara Campbell only three months after Cooke's death.

Womack's career rose in the 1970s. Signing with United Artists Records, he scored some popular hits which included "That's the Way I Feel About Cha' ", "Harry Hippie" and "Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out" among others. He also released two successful albums "Communication" in 1971 and "Understanding" the next year via the company.

During his career, Womack collaborated with various musicians such as George Benson, Sly & the Family Stone and Janis Joplin. In 2010, he worked in "Stylo" alongside Mos Def for Gorillaz's album "Plastic Beach". He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year before.

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Ryan Giggs: I wasn't really focused on coaching

Giggs took over at United after David Moyes was sacked with four matches of the season left, winning two, drawing one and losing one.
The Welshman is now completing his Pro Licence coaching badge as he prepares for life as Louis van Gaal's assistant, but he knows he has much to learn if he is to take the United job on a permanent basis in the future.
"When I took the job there were a lot of things that I was quite happy with, but there was the odd thing where I thought 'I'm not quite ready for this.' Well it wasn't that I wasn't ready for it, but I could do with a little bit more experience," Giggs told thefa.com.
"I have gained that experience from Sir Alex [Ferguson] but last year I was still playing so I wasn't really focused on the coaching and the other side of things.
"This year I can put everything into it and learn from someone who has managed at the top in so many other countries. It has been a good thing that I have been with Sir Alex for so long but also I am now getting to see how other people work as well. I got a taste of David Moyes and now Louis van Gaal this year."
Giggs has now hung up his boots after an illustrious career but was still playing at the time of his elevation last season -- an adjustment he struggled to deal with.
"Yeah, I mean there was just so much to do," he said. "Before training you are in at half seven and by the time half ten had come you were knackered.
"Because I was still a player I just wanted to make the players aware that I was the club manager and get that distance away from them initially to say, 'I am not joining in training, I am looking to see what you are doing.' You can't really do that if you are getting involved.
"Initially that was my feeling -- not get involved with training and see how they were all performing. The majority of the lads were all fit so I had plenty to choose from so I wanted to get a good look. If you are involved and in the middle of it you don't quite get the same look."

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