Well, they did it again. It’s four on the trot now – a record. Germany have not missed a World Cup semi-final date this century: 2002, 2006, 2010, now 2014.
It was 1998, in France, when they last failed to be in the competition in the final week, and they will be there again, in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. And back here, in the Maracana Stadium, one last time a week on Sunday? There is no reason why not.
Germany did not have the best chances, or necessarily play the best football, but they were excellent in possession, decisive and sharp at key defensive moments and found a way to win, as the best teams do. As Germany do, so often, in fact.
That the goal came from Mats Hummels, a bold selection by coach Joachim Low who also abandoned his false nine system and restored Philipp Lahm to full-back, merely adds to the evidence that Germany are World Cup naturals in a way other countries – you know who – are not.
France have a good record of going deep into the competition once beyond the first round, too. but they met their match here.
Germany’s defensive shield was set up too efficiently to let them pass, despite the best efforts of Mathieu Valbuena, Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was exceptional, again, on what was his 50th international appearance.
There was a lot of French pressure in the second-half, but the best chance still fell to Germany. When Mesut Ozil broke down the left flank, his cross sat perfectly for Thomas Muller, who should have claimed Germany’s second and took the last remaining tension from the game. Instead, he missed his kick and the ball fell to substitute Andre Schurrle who could not continue his run of five goals in consecutive internationals. Hugo Lloris saved with his feet.
This was far from the most impressive German performance of this World Cup. Yet that, in its way, makes it all the more impressive.
This is a team that cuts a path through, even in adversity; that came to Rio de Janeiro with seven players suffering a viral illness, yet didn’t even pack its big suitcases for the journey home, because it had no intention of departing early. Confident? Arrogant? Check the record. They have every reason to be both. There have been 13 World Cups since 1966 and Germany have made the last four in ten of them. England, the other finalists that year: one.
It was an outcome that vindicated Low in so many ways. His changes worked, most particularly the reintroduction of Hummels for Per Mertesacker. Low worked out that France’s greatest threat came with pace and the ball over the top and that Mertesacker would be ill-equipped to deal with this. He was right. In addition, Hummels scored the only goal of the game and made a vital block. Tactically, it was a full house.
posted from Bloggeroid
