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UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Where are the Argentine’s stars Maradona?
88 min: THIS IS A ROUT. Argentina 0-4 Germany. What a finish by Klose, who has now scored as many World Cup finals goals as Gerd Muller. Trochowski shimmies down the left and lifts a cross into the centre for Klose, who sidefoots a dropping ball into the bottom-left corner. That is such a lovely finish. Gerd Muller, though!
Oh Diego!
74 min: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. Argentina 0-3 Germany. Busy work from Muller wins a corner down the left. From it, the ball’s played back to Schweinsteiger, who beats Di Maria and then drops a shoulder to dawdle past Pastore, then pulls the ball back from the byline to Friedrich to sidefoot home from close range. That’s a wonderful goal, though the defensive challenges weren’t up to much. Germany really are looking like world champions elect.
Partystimmung auf Deutschlands Fanmeilen: Wie hier in Berlin trafen sich Hunderttausende Fans, um…
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Yesterday fans in Buenos Aires rejoyced
after Dutch sent Brazil back home!
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The Germans were superb, but the Argentinians lacked team tactics and extreme poor marking of opponents. The Germans were playing against a defense of Swiss cheese …
Argentina will face Germany at Cape Town’s Green Point stadium later looking to claim a semi-final spot and lay to rest the frustrations of four years ago when Germany knocked them out on penalties at the same stage of the German hosted World Cup.
“We will rewrite history today and win 2-0,” said Adrian Romerzaro, a 30-year-old businessman from Rosario in Argentina.
“The team has been incredible, and the warmth and focus they have around Maradona is absolutely unique, no other coach has ever achieved that. He is an idol,” he added.
Maradona’s long history as a player, colourful personal life and his pitch-side antics as a coach have helped make Argentina hugely popular with South Africans, who flocked in their thousands to the stadium.
“I’ve followed all their games, they are a great passionate team, and I guess I also like their light blue colour,” said Estine Johnston, 27, gesturing to her new sky blue Argentina shirt and confessing she knew very little about football.
“I wanted to be there and part of the atmosphere,” she said.
Maradona under criticism during WC qualifications
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Without a doubt! I’m so mad I missed both Wimbledon AND World Cup this morning, but I had to work out.
And you know which side of the Atlantic I’d rather be on right now!! What a huge, COLOSSAL win!!! Nice!!!!!!!
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Argentina played a tactical poor match. What seemed to be South America’s chance for gold has turned in favor of three European nations vying for the Golden Jules Rimet Trophy. The German team is young and a product of a new soccer initiative of the German association based on the principles of … Holland. It’s the best form of an attacking side with all players participating in offence and defensive chores. The German team put pressure on the Argentina backs who failed to reach their midfield and forwards. Messi was desillusioned after the match, Maradona hugged Messi, but Messi shrugged off his coach who failed the team and nation of soccer fans. The best two teams will meet in the final, I’m not placing any bets though on the outcome. A bit of luck is needed in addition to command of the match and discipline and creativity of the players. Apparently the return of Bayern Munchen to the European top under Van Gaal this season has also provided the impulse for the national team … with 6 players from Bayern. BTW two Bayern stars Van Bommel and Robben play for Holland. It would be a shame for these two teams not to meet in the World Cup final.
(CBC) – A somewhat subdued match suddenly became chaotic in a two-minute span of the second half. Gerard Pique pulled down Paraguay’s Oscar Cardozo in the penalty area on a corner kick, earning a yellow card and giving the Paraguayan a penalty kick.
With the vuvuzelas reaching a crescendo, the striker who ended his team’s shootout win over Japan was denied brilliantly this time by Iker Casillas, who dived left to block Cardozo’s low kick.
Seconds later, Villa broke free behind the defence and was hauled down by Antolin Alcoraz, who drew a yellow card. Xabi Alonso went to the penalty spot and sent a wicked drive into the net.
Again, the stadium rocked, but referee Carlos Batres of Guatemala waved off the goal, saying a Spain player entered the area too soon [just about all Spanish players entered the box way too soon – Oui].
Given a second chance, keeper Justo Villar guessed correctly, diving left to stop the penalty kick. He also knocked the rebound away from Cesc Fabregas before defender Paulo Da Silva made a leg save at the goal-line on another shot by Sergio Ramos.
After that wild sequence, it seemed anything was possible.
And for Spain, anything is possible with Villa on the field. Not only is he the Spaniards’ best finisher, but he’s a sparkplug with his darting runs and imaginative moves.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."