Brazil hung on by its fingernails in the final 10 minutes of the match, but advanced to the World Cup semifinals, edging Colombia 2-1 in Fortaleza on Friday.
Captain Thiago Silva scored early in the match and David Luiz gave Brazil a 2-0 lead with a rocket of a free kick in the 69th minute.
Leading scorer James Rodríguez brought Colombia within one when he scored on a penalty in the 80th minute but the Colombians couldn’t tie it.
Germany stands in the way of Brazil’s return to the Maracana for the World Cup final. The two sides clash in the semifinal on Tuesday.
But the host nation will be holding its collective breath, as Neymar was carried off on a stretcher in the final moments of the match, after he was fouled hard and appeared to injure his back.