Alejandro Sabella

Deutschland Uber Alles

Goetze Goal Gives Germany Victory

By Mike Richman   |

Germany's Mario Goetze, right, scores the opening goal past Argentina's goalkeeper Sergio Romero during the World Cup final soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Germany’s Mario Goetze, right, scores the opening goal past Argentina’s goalkeeper Sergio Romero during the World Cup final soccer match at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Click here to see statistics and highlights from the match. Victor R. Caivano | AP

Mario Goetze netted an extra time goal to make Germany the first European team ever to win a World Cup in the Americas, beating Argentina, 1-0, to claim the championship.

Playing before a capacity crowd of about 75,000 at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Goetze took a crossing pass on the left side from teammate Andre Schurrle and artfully nailed it home inside the right post past Argentine goalie Sergio Romero.

Goetze, a midfielder who plays for Bayern Munich, came off the bench toward the end of regulation for Miroslav Klose, who in the 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

The goal by Goetze goal triggered memories of the one by Spain’s Andres Iniesta just before the end of extra time in a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup championship in South Africa.  It also gave Germany its fourth World Cup title but the first as a unified country.  West Germany won in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

South American teams won the seven previous times the tournament was played in the Americas.

“An Awesome Experience”

“It is unbelievable and an awesome experience,” Germany’s goalie Manuel Neuer told German television.  “We have had incredible cohesion since the start of our preparations.  Germany (is) world champions.  I don’t know how long we will celebrate, but we will go about it with big grins.”

After the game, the German team made its way up the stairs of Maracana Stadium to raise the hallowed 18-carat gold trophy, as confetti rained down and fireworks exploded in the sky.

“It’s incredible how hard we worked and what a performance we produced,” team captain Philipp Lahm said.  “It’s an incredible feeling.”

Germany and Argentina had met twice before in the World Cup title game.  Argentina won in 1986, and the Germans won in 1990.

This time, Argentina was hoping its superstar, Lionel Messi, would lead the South American football power to its third title.  But Germany’s stingy defense neutralized Messi, a four-time FIFA World Player of the Year, for most of the game.

Messi, who scored four goals in the tournament, all in the group stage, received the Golden Ball award as the World Cup’s best player.  In the end, though, he was still walking in the shadow of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title, in part, with his famous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century.”

Sunday’s game marked the third straight World Cup championship that went to extra time.  Both teams had solid chances to score before Goetze’s goal, with the Argentines missing out on a few that would later haunt them.

In the 21st minute, Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain intercepted an errant pass and broke for the net but hooked his shot far wide.  He found the net in the 30th minute but was called for offside.

Early in the second half, Messi stood one-on-one with Neuer, who later won the Golden Glove award for the tournament’s best goalie, but sent his shot wide.  Argentina also failed to convert on opportunities in extra time.

Argentine Coach Congratulatory in Defeat

“When there are chances in a game that is so evenly balanced, you have to take them,” Argentina’s coach Alejandro Sabella said.  “We lacked a bit of efficiency.”

Sabella praised his team for staying even with Germany for so long after a tough semifinal against the Netherlands.  Argentina won that game in a penalty shootout, 4-2, after a scoreless draw.

“The only thing I can do is congratulate my players,” Sabella said.  “The work they did was extraordinary, and (I) also congratulate Germany.”

The Argentines went undefeated in the World Cup until the championship game.  They played Germany without speedy winger Angel Di Maria, who was out with a thigh injury.

In addition to the award to Messi and Neuer, Colombia’s James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.

In a symbolic gesture before the game, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sepp Blatter, president of football’s world governing body, FIFA, took part in a World Cup handover ceremony.  Russia will host the 2018 World Cup.

Argentina, Germany Eke Out Victory

With Messi, Everything Is Possible

By Mike Richman   |

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and prolific German scorer Miroslav Klose rescued their teams with clutch goals in World Cup action Saturday.

Messi scored during injury time to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Iran and qualify the Argentines for the coveted Round of 16.  Klose found the back of the net in the 71st minute for the final goal in a 2-2 draw against Ghana.

In Argentina’s Group F match against Iran at Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Los Albicelestes appeared headed for a draw.  But Messi, a four-time world player of the year, superbly curled the ball past diving goalie Alireza Haghighi during the first minute of stoppage time to derail an unheralded Iranian team that fought hard.

“With Messi, everything is possible,” Argentina’s coach Alejandro Sabella said.  “Not even two goalkeepers could have stopped that Lionel shot.”

Argentina Needs to Play Better

Argentina has six points from two wins in the tournament.  But the world’s 5th-ranked team in the FIFA standings will need to improve its sometimes lackluster play when facing more elite opponents in the knockout round.

Argentina beat Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2-1, last week.

“If we analyze both matches, we might say we can play better,” said Messi, who has drawn comparisons to fellow Argentine legend Diego Maradona.  “We know we’re not playing as well as we’re expected to.”

Saturday’s Group G match between Germany and Ghana at Arena Castelao in Fortaleza was thrilling.

Germany took a 1-0 lead early in the second half.  But Ghana answered with two goals to go up, 2-1, by the 63rd minute.  In the 71st minute, Klose tapped the ball in on a perfectly executed corner kick to tie the game and celebrated by doing a flip.

It was the 15th World Cup goal for the veteran German striker, tying him with Brazilian legend Ronaldo for the most goals in World Cup history.  He is also Germany’s all-time leading scorer with 70 goals in 133 games.

“Twenty matches and 15 goals isn’t bad at all,” Klose told German television.  “I don’t know how long it’s been since I did a somersault, but at least it worked out.”

Germany, the world’s 2nd-ranked team, would have secured a spot in the knockout round with a win against Ghana.  But their tie means the United States will advance to the round of 16 if it beats Portugal on Sunday.  Portugal will be eliminated if it loses.

Group G is known as the “group of death” because of the extremely stiff competition.  Last week, the U.S. beat Ghana, 2-1, and Germany crushed a tough Portugal team, 4-0.

Nigeria Ends World Cup Drought

In the last game Saturday, Nigeria kept its hopes alive of reaching the knockout round and won its first World Cup game since 1998 with a 1-0 decision over Bosnia-Herzegovina at Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba.

Nigeria’s Peter Odemwingie scored the only goal of the Group F match in the first half.  Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko had a goal disallowed due to a questionable offside call in the first half.  His strike in the final seconds of the match hit the goal post.

“We were aware of the 16-year gap with no wins for our country,” Odemwingie said.  “This is very exciting for us and very important, too, as the fans were disappointed by our previous performance” ((a scoreless draw against Iran)).

Bosnia, which was making its first World Cup appearance, was eliminated from the tournament.

In addition to the U.S.-Portugal match in Manaus, there are two Group H games on Sunday.  Belgium faces Russia in Rio de Janeiro, and South Korea and Algeria clash in Porto Alegre.  Belgium leads Group H with three points.