FIFA World Cup semi-final - Spain 1:0 Germany
So in the end the Germans were human after all.
After a double demolition of England and Argentina which sent
shockwaves throughout the soccer world, Joachim Low's lions were mown down by
raging Spanish bulls.
Yogi was lost in the woods as Spain revived their Euro 2008 glory
to hand him a sobering football lesson in Durban. Germany, so awesome in the
knock-out stages that they had begun to acquire an unbeatable whiff, were cowed
by the defiantly intricate passing of the European Champions, who persisted
with their Beautiful Game in the Togel face of the tournament's most dangerous outfit.
It was indeed a victory for football as the winners delighted at
times and never resorted to a route one approach or launched the ball aimlessly
out of defence. The Spanish allegiance to one-touch passing to feet rarely
placed them in danger and ultimately had the desired effect of tiring out the
chasing Germans physically, while their taking the game to them won the
psychological battle.
Scoring first was key in the end as it prevented Germany playing
their counter-attacking game which had speared England and Argentina so successfully.
When the Germans did play on the rebound, Spanish bodies scuttled back and
Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol held up the 'No Pasaran' banners.
After proving such a razor-sharp attacking force in previous
rounds, the Germans were a blunt butter knife last night, limited to a single
shot on target from substitute Toni Kroos. The suspension of Thomas Mueller had
removed the Mannschaft's right-wing menace, but Bastian Schweinsteiger also
failed to exert an influence, pinned back from advancing by the red shirts
buzzing around him, while Mesut Ozil's rising star waned for a second match in
succession.
Vicente del Bosque's tactical plan triumphed. Painfully aware how
lethal Germany were on the break, he shrewdly dropped the sluggish Fernando
Torres to add an extra body in the middle, with a twin shield between defence
and midfield of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets to block any German advances.
Busquets in particular watched Ozil like a hawk and the passing in midfield
from Alonso, Iniesta and Xavi was so crisp that Germany were left to chase.
In the event it was Spain's taking the game to Germany which
handed them victory. They refused to be scared by Germany's previous results
and their quick passing and commitment to possession in all areas of the field
zapped their frightening opponents' venom.
"They are the masters of the game. You can see it in every
pass. They can hardly be beaten," admitted Low ruefully.
German sub Marcell Jansen concurred: "Spain's organisation
and tactics are in a different league," he said. "When they attack,
the whole team comes forward, and when they defend, they all work together to
keep it tight."
So many critics had hailed Germany's youth as the key to their
winning, but the young guns of Deutschland were handed a footballing lesson by
some old masters in Durban and put back in their place as a promising team of
the future.
The spirit of 2008 breathes again. A beautiful team winning at
the Beautiful Game. What is not to celebrate?
Brazil & FIFA unveiled the logo of the 2014 World Cup in
Johannesburg last night.
2014 logo unveiled.
Ricardo Teixeira, head of the Brazilian FA, revealed the design,
entitled 'Inspiration', which shows three hands in national colours forming the
shape of the trophy, to 500 guests at the traditional presentation by the
tournament's next hosts.
"I can assure you the 2014 World Cup will be a perfect and
unforgettable celebration," assured Texeira, rejecting fears of an even
more disorganised World Cup than South Africa has been at times.
Brazil is a huge landmass with stadia, airports, roads and hotels
in serious need of rebuilding before 2014. Add to that a crime problem to match
or even beat South Africa's. Fans will mostly have to fly to get around the
venues in four years' time, although plans are progressing for a high-speed
rail link between Rio and Sao Paolo.
With such an exceptional footballing heritage in Brazil, and with
the absence of alternative South American candidates, a World Cup in the land
of Pele was always on the cards. Pele himself was not there in Joburg last
night, perhaps because of a spat with Texeira, but former stars Romario and
Carlos Alberto were, along with the nation's president Lula.
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