Football / World Cup USA '94: Branco the Brazilian saviour: World Cup quarter-final: Striker's thrilling late goal breaks the Spanish resistance as history threatens to repeat itself

Holland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Bergkamp 64, Winter 77

Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Romario 52, Bebeto 63, Branco 81

Attendance: 63,998

A GOAL worthy of winning a World Cup classic that throbbed with each beat of the drums from the stands, driven home by Branco from a 25-yard free-kick 10 minutes from time, took Brazil to the last four of the tournament for the first time in 16 years.

Having endured the shock of Holland's recovery from a two-goal deficit, Brazil will now look towards emulating the feat of their ancestors of 1970. Their next step is a semi-final against Sweden or Romania in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The Cotton Bowl was a swirl of orange and yellow yesterday, like those sweet slices that always seem to get left over at Christmas. This, though, was a match to fulfil the mouthwatering promise of its colours.

Stepping up their game after a frustrating first half, the Brazilians scored two of the most toothsome of goals through those most striking of partners, Romario and Bebeto, within 12 minutes early in the second half.

Then the Dutch, profiting from a cool, overcast day in Dallas, showed the resilience that has characterised a strong European challenge at this tournament, and responded with a brace of their own through Dennis Bergkamp and Aron Winter before Branco settled the match with a fearsome set-piece strike.

Brazil spent a disappointing first half coming to terms with the predominantly defensive system of the Dutch, who deputed Stan Valckx to mark his former PSV Eindhoven team mate Romario, and Jan Wouters to trail Bebeto.

Clearly, they saw their best chance, in their first quarter-final since 1978, as being containment before hoping for a slice of inspiration from Bergkamp or Wim Jonk, their goalscorers against the Republic of Ireland in the previous round, or from a free-kick by Ronald Koeman.

But Brazil came out with a zest after the break to take the breath away, raising the game to their tempo and taking the lead after 52 minutes with a goal to illustrate the vision of their running, incision of their passing and precision of their finishing.

Frank Rijkaard's through ball to Bergkamp was intercepted by Marcio Santos, who sprayed the ball wide to Bebeto on the left. After a sprint down the line he looked up, crossed, and Romario met the ball from eight yards out with a delicious sliced half-volley that Ed de Goey could only watch.

Then, in the 64th minute, Bebeto himself burst through the middle, eluded Wouters's challenge and rounded De Goey before tapping home. The Dutch furiously appealed that Romario was returning from an offside position but the referee was firm in implementing the new Fifa guidelines on players not interfering with the action.

If Brazil had started to entertain thoughts of coasting towards Los Angeles, they were dispelled a mere minute later when Bergkamp danced clear near the left byline and curled in a cute shot past Taffarel into the far corner.

Then, astonishingly, they were back in what was now a stormy game fuelled by a Dutch sense of injustice. They appealed for a penalty for handball when Bergkamp's shot was deflected for a corner but it mattered not as Marc Overmars's kick from the left was met firmly by Winter who headed the ball home amid a crowd of players.

The game was now breathless, the cat-and-mouse of the first half having given way to headlong pursuit of victory. Brazil, matching the Dutch for energy but ever with the edge creatively, finally got their reward 10 minutes from time.

Winter committed a foul 25 yards out, that saw players from both sides again confronting each other angrily, and Brazil gathered for the free-kick. It was Branco, the replacement for the suspended Leonardo, who stepped up and struck with his powerful left foot a low, swerving drive into De Goey's left corner. The Brazilian fans, who always prefer to see their side win a high-scoring match rather than a mere 1-0, were now delirious.

We had seen a taste of what to expect in the opening moments of the match. Then, Branco had set his sights with a free-kick from 35 yards that was not too far over the bar. Koeman responded in kind with one similar, Jorginho getting his head in the way.

The Brazilians had had the better of that first half. Jorginho rose from his pain to send in a cross but Romario turned wide under challenge from Valckx. A drive by Mauro Silva was just over the crossbar, Dunga and Zinho having neatly worked him an opening. And just before half-time Romario set up a chance for Aldair but his shot was weak.

The Dutch replied through Bergkamp, again an excellent leader of his side, who stole in front of Marcio Santos to send a header just over the bar from a corner. He also curled a shot into the side-netting. But they were isolated moments.

Only after they had been undone by Romario and Bebeto did Holland, probably the most technically gifted nation in Europe, approach the heights of their attacking capabilities. But they encountered a Brazilian side, clearly the most technically gifted in South America, playing at their considerable peak. In one of the most thrilling passages of play of this World Cup so far Romario would have sealed the game but for the bravery and agility of De Goey in the Dutch goal.

With the fitful Rai again left out, Brazil again had a less inventive, more workmanlike look in midfield - though Mazinho and Zinho on the flanks played their best football of the tournament so far. However it was still a cut above anything seen elsewhere. These boys from Brazil are forming a formidable blend.

HOLLAND (3-4-3): De Goey (Feyenoord); Wouters (PSV Eindhoven), Valckx (Sporting Lisbon), Koeman (Barcelona); Winter (Lazio), Rijkaard (Ajax), Jonk (Internazionale), Witschge (Feyenoord); Overmars (Ajax), Bergkamp (Internazionale), Van Vossen (Ajax). Substitutes: Roy (Foggia) for Van Vossen, 53; R de Boer (Ajax) for Rijkaard, 64.

BRAZIL (4-4-2): Taffarel (Reggiana); Jorginho (Bayern Munich), Aldair (Roma), Marcio Santos (Bordeaux), Branco (Fluminense); Dunga (VfB Stuttgart), Mauro Silva (Deportivo La Coruna), Mazinho, Zinho (both Palmeiras); Bebeto (Deportivo La Coruna), Romario (Barceona). Substitutes: Rai (Paris St-Germain) for Mazinho, 80; Cafu (Sao Paulo) for Branco, 90.

Referee: R Badilla Sequeira (Costa Rica).

(Photograph omitted)