What was being dubbed the South American World Cup due to the success of sides from that area was quickly rewritten the European World Cup by the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. At the same time, my predictions for the quarter finals were shown up to be so much rubbish.

Four South American sides – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – reached the quarter finals but only one remains. Uruguay overcame Ghana in dramatic circumstances, but Argentina were blitzed by the Germans, Brazil were outplayed by the Dutch and Paraguay were undone, like so many before them, by David Villa and Spain.

I must start with the Paraguay versus Ghana game and, of course, Luis Suarez. So much has been written and said about Suarez’s hand ball to deny Ghana what would have been a winning goal in the dying seconds, did he cheat, is he a hero, should he receive further punishment than the one game he’ll get for the red card?

With the game at 1-1 with only seconds left in extra time, Ghana launched one last attack. Stephen Appiah’s effort was blocked legally by Suarez’s thigh, but the follow up effort from Adiyiah he was forced to keep out with his hands. The referee had no choice but to blow for the penalty and issue a red card.

So did Suarez cheat? Yes, clearly he did. He denied Ghana the winning goal with his hands.

But he was punished with the red card and Ghana were given the chance to win the game again with a penalty. That they missed, Gyan putting it just over the bar, is not Suarez’s fault. You can understand Ghana’s reaction, frustration must be high after they went on to lose the penalty shoot out, but to aim that frustration and anger at Suarez is wrong.

We all would have done the same. Whether through choice or simple reaction, we all would have done the same. Quite simply, he took one for the team and it worked.

Is he a hero? To any Uruguayan, yes he is. To some neutrals (including me) yes he is. To Ghana, of course not. I remember Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer bringing down Newcastle’s Rob Lee as he swept past him, clean through on goal. Had he gone on and scored, that season’s title battle would perhaps have gone Newcastle’s way. Solskjaer was rightly sent off, Newcastle fans were up in arms but to Manchester United fans he is remembered as much for that as he is his Champions League winning goal in 1999. Sometimes, this is how heroes are made.

That there have been calls for Fifa to extend his ban – and they apparently did consider it before ruling it out – is ridiculous. The circumstances and timing of his offence have made this a much bigger story than it would have been had he committed his crime halfway through the first half, for example.

You cannot alter punishments for circumstance in football. Suarez and Uruguay received theirs during the game, there is no law, precedent or reason to take it further.

We all feel sorry for Ghana, bidding to be the first African nation to make it to the semi finals, indeed, they will have been many people’s preferred winner. But they aren’t and that is not down to Suarez. Uruguay won the penalty shoot out 4-2. Let’s move on.

Germany’s young side continue to impress and no-one would have been expecting the lesson they gave Maradona’s Argentina. For the third time in this World Cup they scored four goals as Argentina’s defensive weaknesses were ruthlessly exploited. What is more surprising is their lack of potency going forward. Lionel Messi was a virtual bystander as Germany’s defence coped just fine with him, Higuain and Tevez.

For me, this was the shock of the semi finals – not that Germany won, but that they won so easily. Inspired by Schweinsteiger, they tore through Argentina, scoring Thomas Muller after just three minutes. Miroslav Klose got two as he moved closer to winning the Golden Boot and within one goal of Ronaldo’s all time World Cup finals record of 15 goals. Full back Friedrich bagged the other.

For a period in the second half it looked like Argentina might find a way back into the game as they found possession easier to come by, but Klose scored on 67 minutes to end their hopes. Germany reasserted control and Maradona was left clutching in vain at his rosemary beads as his World Cup dreams were torn apart.

One blow for Germany is that Thomas Muller picked up a second yellow card of the tournament and will miss the semis. Muller has been outstanding and they will miss him.

Brazil’s exit came at the hands of the Dutch as their famously dodgy defence, seemingly repaired by Dunga, returned at just the wrong time.

Brazil actually took the lead in the 10th minute with a goal that England fans would recognise more than Brazil’s would. Julio Cesar punted the ball forward, Melo passed it on, splitting the Dutch central defence and Robinho ran to slot coolly past Stekelenburg. Route One all the way!

Despite Holland’s attempts to get back into the game, Dunga’s new Brazil stood firm, restricting the Dutch to just a few efforts. They could have had more goals themselves were it not for the Dutch keeper, saving well from Kaka and Maicon. Quite what happened in the Brazilian dressing room at half time, I don’t know, but that defensive solidity all but vanished in the second half.

A nightmare mix up between Cesar and Melo following a Sneijder free kick saw them collide with the ball bouncing off the defender’s head and into the back of the net. The Dutch were back in it and their new found unity paid dividends as they one again punctured the Brazilian defence.

Robben’s corner was flicked on by Kuyt for the highly impressive Sneijder to head home what turned out to be the winning goal. Holland have always been undermined by internal rifts but at this World Cup they have played as a team with a common goal – winning it. On this evidence, they just might.

Pre-tournament favourites Spain continue to progress despite playing well below the standards they set in winning the European Championships in 2008. They struggled to open up a stubborn and well drilled Portuguese defence in the previous round and in Paraguay they faced the same problem.

However, Paraguay, who made six changes from the team that beat Japan on penalties, were determined to offer more going forward than the Portuguese and the plan almost worked.

The game itself was not the thriller the other three ties were, but did include moments of high drama. On 57 minutes Paraguay were awarded a penalty when Pique brought down Cardozo. Iker Casillas in the Spanish goal was up to the task, however, saving his ideally heighted penalty.

Less than three minutes later Spain were awarded a penalty when Villa was fouled in the Paraguayan box. Xabi Alonso scored easily but the referee ordered a retake as Spanish players encroached into the area. Villar saved Alonso’s second effort and the match remained 0-0 with 30 minutes left.

Spain’s patience is becoming legendary. They just don’t panic, they continue to play their own unique game of passing and moving. So far it has been well rewarded and they must thank their talisman David Villa. He was on hand again to rescue his side and end Paraguay’s hopes.

The goal itself was dramatic, as his effort hit one post, rolled along the goal line, hit the other before ending up in the back of the net.

Should Spain win this World Cup they should honour Villa somehow – without him, they’d have been out a long time ago. But they continue to improve by small steps with each match. Torres, incidentally, doesn’t…

The semi finals look like this:

• Argentina v Germany
• Uruguay v Spain

I will, of course, post a preview with predictions tomorrow, but if you’re a betting man, I’d go with the opposite! We could have a Germany Holland final, however – that would be interesting…