Brazil stoked controversy ahead of the World Cup semi-finals by urging FIFA to scrap the suspension ruling captain Thiago Silva out of the host nation’s clash with Germany. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said it wanted FIFA to rescind the yellow card awarded against Silva during Friday’s bruising quarter-final win over Colombia. The card against Silva was ‘unjustly shown’ and the defender should therefore be allowed to face the Germans in Belo Horizonte, the CBF said in a statement. The Brazilian association also demanded FIFA launch an investigation into the ‘violent challenge’ by Colombia’s Juan Zuniga that saw left star striker Neymar out of the tournament.