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German vs. England Match Report

Brian Moore, June 27 2010,
The much anticipated glamour match of the Round of 16 pitted Germany against England and although the match wasn’t close in the end, controversy raged once again in echoes of 1966.

Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was so badly injured that he couldn't play against England

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All the pre-match talk about injuries to German stars Schweinsteiger, Ozil and Boateng turned out to be mere subterfuge as all three started the match against England at Free State Stadium today.

England, meanwhile, were predictably consistent, fielding the same squad that beat Slovenia 1-0 to carry them into the knockout stages.

But if England manager Fabio Capello thought his side’s uplifting performance against the Slovenians heralded a turn of form to challenge the young German side he was mistaken.

 

 

Blitzkrieg!

Neither the Germans nor the English truly asserted themselves in the first 20 minutes although the Germans always looked threatening down the right flank. Indeed, the English defenders looked ponderous in comparison to the German trio of Podolski, Muller and Ozil.

Yet the first goal was classic “Route One” football, and a bit unusual. German ‘keeper Neuer booted the ball up field in the 20th minute. The controversial Jabulani ball carried long in the 4000 foot altitude of Bloemfontein, ultimately finding the feet of striker Miroslav Klose, now back in the starting line-up following his red card suspension against Algeria.

How the ball ever got to Klose will be a cause for sole searching in the England camp, since John Terry was caught too far up field while Matthew Upson, his central defense partner, was simply unable to dislodge Klose from the ball despite a workman-like tussle with the German. Klose pushed the ball past the oncoming David James despite Upson’s attentions and Germany took a 1-0 lead.

The game needed that goal to encourage England to come out and play but the change in English tactics had its drawbacks. The German counterattack down the flanks began to slice the English defense open with piercing runs and passes sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel.

The combination of Khedira, Muller and Klose threatened on the half hour mark, and three minutes later a delightful combination of passes—Ozil to Muller to Klose to Podolski--shattered the England defense and Podolski scored through David James’ legs. 2-0 to Germany and England .

Blind Justice

England cut the German lead in half with a Matthew Upson header off a Steven Gerrard cross in the 37th minute. Germany 2 England 1.

Seconds later England seemed to have scored again. This time shades of 1966 as Lampard’s shot struck the German crossbar, landed inside the goal and bounced out.

Of the eighty thousand or so eyeballs inside the Free State Stadium only six failed to see that England had scored. Unfortunately for England those six eyeballs belonged to the Uruguayan ref and his two assistants.

Although disappointed in the unfortunate decision the English undoubtedly went into the dressing room at half time encouraged that they had at least begun to play football, and indeed were now carrying the game to the Germans.

The Three Lions Snore

Their encouraging end to the first half might have foreshadowed an English resurgence. Certainly the spectators anticipated one. And initially it did seem so as Johnson, Milner and Ashley Cole all started to get down the wings to threaten the German defense.

England came close again in the 52nd with a Lampard free kick off the crossbar.

Capello brought Joe Cole on for Milner just after the hour mark and English ascendency seemed to be growing as Rooney was fouled resulting in a free kick to England 30 yards from the German goal.

But the counterattack was clearly the strength of the German squad today. The England free kick came off the German defensive wall and again the German passing cut the English defense to ribbons. Boateng to Muller to Schweinsteiger and finally across the goalmouth to Muller for the shot. Germany 3-England 1.

The English were a beaten team at this point, but as if to add emphasis to their victory the GermansGermany midfielder Mesut Ozil had a fine game against England today scored again in the 70th minute when Ozil broke free of Gareth Barry on the left and delivered a cross on a silver plate to Muller, who got his second goal of the day. Germany 4, England 1.

The rest of the match was academic as English hearts were no longer in the game and their heads hung low.

The English go home now to lick their wounds, and undoubtedly to analyze the problems in their game. Meanwhile Germany will prepare to meet the winner of Argentina-Mexico.
 

 

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