World Cup Last 16: Germany 0-1 Spain

Jordi Alba’s goal on the stroke of half-time was enough to book Spain’s place in the quarter-finals, but only after Germany saw the officials rule out two goals and had a penalty saved in St Petersburg this afternoon. Spain will play the winners of tomorrow’s Ghana v. England clash.

Germany made five changes from the side that drew with Ireland: In came Schwaab, Boateng, Goretzka, Draxler and Gómez to replace Lahm, Holtby, Schmelzer, Götze and Schürrle. Just one Spanish change from their win over Serbia: Andrés Iniesta replacing the suspended Thiago.

Iniesta’s match lasted less than five minutes as he fell awkwardly in a challenge with Marco Reus and after trying to run the injury off, was replaced by José Enrique. Shortly after, with Spain reorganising in midfield, Germany had goal celebrations cut short.

Jerome Boateng sent a deep, long ball forward into the box for Mario Gómez who got on the end of the delivery at the same time as Iker Casillas and sent the ball, himself and the Spanish goalkeeper into the back of the net, with the Italian officials ruling it out.

On 20 minutes, the referee was on centre-stage again when he pointed to the spot when Reus and Enrique tangled by the goal-line after Casillas saved a 20-yard effort by Julian Draxler. While there was certainly contact, it looked 50:50 at worst. Nevertheless, VAR agreed with the man in the middle.

Toni Kroos had the responsibility, and put it at perfect height for Casillas who dived to his left and pushed the spotkick away. Reus and Enrique once again tangled for the loose ball but all that was given was a throw-in. Five minutes later and Gómez challenged Casillas in the air to head home a Reus free-kick lofted into the six-yard box, but referee Paolo Tagliavento’s whistle once again sounded to disallow it.

It took Spain until the 36th minute to register a shot at Manuel Neuer’s goal, but Enrique’s effort was well wide when he had time to take another touch and test the German ‘keeper one-on-one.

In the final first-half minute, the decisive blow was finally struck. Victor Ruiz’s great challenge on a full-flight Draxler won the ball back for Spain and Rodrigo collected it on the right flank. Skipping past a challenge from Boateng and doing Sebastian Rode for pace, he whipped a delivery across the face of goal for Jordi Alba to volley home at the far post.

After the break, with challenges flying in from both sides and seven yellow cards being show, Reus and Gómez both came close in the closing moments to snatch an equaliser that never came.

                 FIFA WORLD CUP: SECOND ROUND
                      GERMANY 0-1 SPAIN
               Kroos m/pen 21     Alba 45

                        Gómez     Mata
                         Rode     Alba
                         Reus     Enrique
                                  Ramos

World Cup: Australia and Germany Progress (B)

A late goal from Dario Vidosic won Group B for Australia, setting-up a second round match against South Korea, while Germany were held by Ireland in Moscow to finish as runners-up in the group. They’ll face Spain in the last sixteen in the first competitive meeting between the two nations since the 2010 semi-finals.

Australia have progressed to the knockout stages of a World Cup for the third time in their history after goals from Graham Peach® and Dario Vidosic ended Morocco’s faint hopes of a place in the second round. Two changes each, with Australia giving a start to goalkeeper Adam Federici.

The Socceroos took the lead in the 8th minute with a move started by a great tackle by Rhys Williams in the Australian half, and the ball was worked forward with pace. Vidosic played it neatly into the path of 21-year old striker Graham Peach® who slotted home his 10th international goal to take the lead.

Vidosic nearly grabbed himself a goal in the 27th minute when he 30-yard free-kick cracked against the angle of post and bar with Moroccan ‘keeper Zakaria Saïdi well beaten.

Morocco found themselves level right before half-time with a goal against the run of play. Marouane Chamakh started and finished the move when won the ball in the centre circle and within seconds got on the end of a ball from Younès Belhanda to slot into the bottom corner for his and Morocco’s third goal of the tournament.

The winner came with a little over quarter of an hour to play in route one fashion. A goal kick was worked to the flank for Peach to take it down the right and bend a cross in from the goal-line. Dario Vidosic got there ahead of Saïdi and volleyed Australia into the last sixteen as group winners.

Australia will play South Korea in Makhachkala on Saturday.

                  FIFA WORLD CUP: GROUP B (3)
                    AUSTRALIA 2-1 MOROCCO
                      Peach 8     Chamakh 42
                   Vidosic 73

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Germany went into their final game top of the group on goal difference from Australia, so just needed to match or better their result in order to avoid Spain in the second round. They made just the one change, with Lewis Holtby coming in for the injured Mesut Özil. Three changes for Ireland.

Germany were fully in control of the first-half but weren’t finding a way past Ryan Meara in the Irish goal, with the Le Mans man equal to everything fired at home once the German attack had breached the tight central defence of Ciaran Clark and captain Alex Pearce.

The opening goal finally came two minutes before the break, when Mario Götze – cautioned earlier, earning him a suspension – played a low ball in from the right wing for Mario Gómez in the box. He had time to turn, take a touch to tee himself up, then lash a shot into the top corner from fifteen yards.

Four minutes after the interval, Germany thought they’d doubled the lead. Schmelzer and Schürrle combined down the left, and the Dortmund man’s cross was met by Gómez whose towering header thundered past Meara off the underside of the bar. The flag went up late on the far side, and in a rant at the fourth official, Jürgen Klopp was dismissed to the stands by the Italian officials.

Ireland snatched an equaliser with eight minutes remaining when Chris McCann evaded Rode’s challenge and played a through-ball to Alan Judge. His shot was blocked by Schmelzer but half-time sub Colin Pepper arrived in the box perfectly in time to drill the loose ball past a stricken Manuel Neuer.

That’s how it finished with Götze fluffing a late chance, and Germany finished runners-up in Group B. Their second round match will be against Spain in St Petersburg on Saturday.

                  FIFA WORLD CUP: GROUP B (3)
                  REP.IRELAND 1-1 GERMANY
                    Pepper 82     Gómez 43
                    
                       Murray     Götze
                      Coleman

World Cup Group B: Matchday Two Review

Australia and Germany both have one foot in the last sixteen after they split the points in a 1-1 draw in Nizhniy Novgorod today, leaving them both on four points. Morocco and Ireland drew in Moscow for their first point each, meaning either needs a win and a four-goal swing next week.

Two changes for Morocco following their 1-4 defeat by Germany, with the most notable being a change in goal as 23-year old Zakaria Saïdi® replaced Ismaïl Kouha. Aït Fana also came in for Boussoufa upfront. Just one change for Ireland with Aidan White a straight swap for Stephen Ward at left-back.

Morocco took the lead after ten minutes on a counter attack when Kantari cleared a Shane long ball into the box. El Kaoutari attacked with pace on the break and found El Adoua. One touch to Belhanda who slotted through to Marouane Chamakh who took it first time on his left to drill low past Meara and in-off the far post.

Ireland’s equaliser came midway through the second-half when Shane Long brought down Murray’s cross into the box, rounded Saïdi and tucked home from close range. A draw was a fair result, but does neither side many favours ahead of their final fixtures on Tuesday.

                  FIFA WORLD CUP: GROUP B (2)
                      MOROCCO 1-1 REP.IRELAND
                   Chamakh 11     Long 65
                 
                      Carcela     Cox
                      Chamakh     Pearce

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Germany dominated against a resilient Australian side with 63% possession and over double the amount of shots, but had their early penalty were pegged back by a Rhys Williams goal to share the points. If either side avoids defeat next week, a place in the last sixteen awaits.

Australia survived a booking for Rhys Williams after just 30 seconds when he had a handful of Sebastian Rode’s shirt much to the disapproval of English referee Clattenburg. Just before the 20 minute mark, Clattenburg upset the Socceroos again when he pointed to the spot.

Rhys Williams was involved again as he tripped Rode in the box as the Frankfurt midfielder ran onto Götze’s through-ball. Williams somehow escaped a second yellow, but André Schürrle slammed the penalty into the top corner for his 20th international goal to give Germany the lead.

Right before the hour, Australia scored the goal to earn themselves a point, and it was Rhys Williams involved again. Luca Mavromatis® did all the leg work, bringing the ball forward 40 yards with little resistance before firing a shot at Manuel Neuer. The Bayern Munich ‘keeper got his hands to it but it was parried to Williams who had time to steady himself before slotting home.

Germany play Ireland on Tuesday in Moscow. Australia will face Morocco in Rostov.

                  FIFA WORLD CUP: GROUP B (2)
                    AUSTRALIA 1-1 GERMANY
             Rhys Williams 59     Schürrle pen 19
                    
                Rhys Williams
                Ryan Williams
                         Ryan

World Cup, Day Two: Germany 4-1 Morocco

Group B: Germany survived an early scare from Morocco in their first World Cup match at the Cosmos Arena in Samara today, coming from behind inside the opening five minutes to score four in reply during a game where they also hit the woodwork on three occasions.

Marouane Chamakh fired Morocco ahead from close range with just four minutes on the clock. A poor corner was headed away at the near post, but Mehdi Carcela was first to react and fire the ball back into the box. Holger Badstuber got a block in, but the ball squirmed across the face of goal and in the scramble, Chamakh turned home from three yards out.

The lead only lasted ten minutes, with Sebastian Rode pulling off a cheeky 20-yard lob to level. Mario Götze worked his way into the area, but had his shot charged down. The ball fell perfectly to Rode who went for the dink over the top of Kouha to see it loop perfectly into the top corner.

Midway through the half, Badstuber rattled the Moroccan crossbar when he thundered a header against it from a Rode free-kick from out wide. Both sides tested their opposing ‘keeper from distance but the first-half petered out somewhat with the score at 1-1.

The second-half was only 56 seconds old when Chamakh once again wheeled away in celebration when he headed home a Boussoufa cross at the far post, only to see a correct offside flag from the Italian assistant referee on the far side.

Within five minutes, Germany had struck the crossbar twice. Toni Kroos was involved with both; the first his corner which Mario Gómez crashed against the frame of the goal, before Kroos himself rattled the woodwork with a speculative effort from 30 yards.

Mesut Özil was denied at point-blank range by Kouha after a neat one-two between Gómez and Götze fed the Real Madrid man, but Kouha was big and brave and got enough on the shot to turn it round the post. The resulting corner was whipped in by Rode and Jan Kirchhoff swept home to put Germany in front.

Germany were in complete control throughout the second-half and when they added a third inside the last ten minutes it was a surprise to nobody. A rare Moroccan corner was cleared with ease, and the ball worked wide to Götze. Cutting inside from the right, he found Mario Gómez who had time to take a touch before rifling home from twelve yards.

Chelsea defender Kirchhoff added a fourth in stoppage time when he headed home from Rode’s corner. Germany will play Australia in Nizhniy on Thursday, while Morocco will meet Ireland in Moscow the same day.

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                    FIFA WORLD CUP: GROUP B
                      GERMANY 4-1 MOROCCO
                      Rode 14     Chamakh 5
            Kirchoff 61, 90+4
                     Gómez 82

                        Özil
                       Götze
                       Gómez

World Cup Squads: Germany, Point to Prove

Finalists in 2002 and losing semi-finalists in ’06 and ’10, Brazil 2014 proved a disappointing tournament for Germany as they bowed-out at the quarter-final stage to Italy after only winning two of their five matches. Ranked 5th in the world, Jürgen Klopp’s team will feature in FIFA World Cup Group B alongside Morocco, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Opening fixture for ‘Die Mannschaft’ is on Saturday 16th

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP SQUAD: GERMANY

 MANAGER: Jürgen Klopp
  RECORD: Played 19 Won 15 Drawn 3 Lost 1 For 38 Against 11

 GOALKEEPERS                    CLUB              CAPS   GOALS
  1. Manuel Neuer               Bayern Munich      93      0
 13. Marc-André ter Stegen      Juventus           10      0
 14. Ron-Robert Zieler          Dortmund            1      0

 DEFENDERS
  2. Daniel Schwaab             Leverkusen          5      0
  3. Marcel Schmelzer           Wolfsburg          40      1
  4. Holger Badstuber           Manchester City    86      5
  5. Jérôme Boateng             Bayern Munich      67      1
 18. Jan Kirchoff               Chelsea            28      2
 19. Philipp Wollscheid         Leverkusen         11      0
 20. Benedikt Höwedes           Schalke            24      0
 21. Philipp Lahm ©             Bayern Munich     154      6

 MIDFIELDERS
  6. Mario Götze                Dortmund           72     16
  7. Sebastian Rode             E.Frankfurt        18      0
  8. Toni Kroos                 Manchester Utd     87     11
  9. Andre Schürrle             Dortmund           74     19
 10. Lewis Holtby               Schalke            19      3
 11. Marco Reus                 Dortmund           48     14
 16. Julian Draxler             Schalke            24      0
 17. Mesut Özil                 Real Madrid        66     12
 23. Leon Goretzka              Hamburg             4      1

 STRIKERS
 12. Mario Gómez                Bayern Munich      94     55
 15. Stefan Kießling            Leverkusen         16      3
 22. Julian Schieber            Dortmund           26     10

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Italy 1 – 0 Germany Q/FINAL (Match #59)

Fernando Forestieri’s second-half effort was enough to maintain Italy’s unbeaten competitive record against Germany, and put them through to the Semi-Finals of the FIFA World Cup here in Brazil.

The Udinese midfielder scored his third goal of the tournament, and fourth international goal, with about quarter of an hour to play with a fine strike from the edge of the area after Rossi won the ball back in the middle and played a lovely through-ball.

In an otherwise even game, both goalkeepers were made to work several times, but neither was severely tested until Manuel Neuer picked the ball out the back of his net in the 74th minute.

Lukas Podolski hit a 93rd minute shot from almost thirty yards out that had Sirigu beaten, but crashed back off the crossbar denying him a stunning last-gasp equaliser.

Federico Balzaretti picked up a late yellow card, which means that five players of their squad are on a booking for the Semi-Final. Italy will play Croatia in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.

The six Dortmund players in the German squad will fly home on Monday and will not feature in Wednesday’s friendly at Wuppertal. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) remains at the tournament.

                   FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014
                     MATCH 59: QUARTER-FINAL
                    
                        ITALY 1-0 GERMANY
                Forestieri 74

                           Brasilia

DORTMUND PLAYER WATCH (all GER):
Götze: (90') 37/44 passes, 1/14 crosses, 1/1 shot     (7.0)
Hummels: (90') 18/24 passes, 2/3 tackles, 4/4 headers (7.0)
Schmelzer: (90') 47/60 passes, 4/5 tackles, 3 interc. (7.0)
Schieber: (10') On in 80th minute. 3/4 passes, 0 shots.
- Beck, Gündogan, Reus all unused subs.