The German national side drew 2:2 (1:1) with Argentina in their final group A game of the Confederations Cup tournament which was enough to see the hosts clinch the group win on a balmy Nuremburg night. Still Werder player Fabian Ernst got the chance to prove his worth over the full ninty minutes from trainer Jürgen Klinsmann and took his chance with a strong performance sealed by an assist which led to Kevin Kuranyis' opener.
Torsten Frings, who will return to play for Werder in July, was introduced to replace Bernd Schneider at the break and in the absence of Michael Ballack was honoured with the captains armband for the second half. The German eleven will meet the second placed side in Group B on Saturday at 6pm in Nuremburg. Group B will be decided on Wednesday night with Mexico, Japan and Brazil all still in with a chance. On the downside, Sebastian Schweinsteiger will have to sit out the semi-final having picked up a second yellow card.
Contrary to the starting eleven against Tunisia, this time Andreas Hinkel replaced the suspended Arne Friedrich on the right side of defence. Fabian Ernst and Bernd Schneider took over the positons left free by Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings. Shooting star Lukas Podolski was left out of the side due to a calf injury and was replaced by Kevin Kuranyi.
Kuranyi grabs a well earned lead
The German side started brightly and confidently against the favourited Argentinians in fron of a capacity crowd of 42,088 at the Franken stadium in Nuremburg where they had proved successful in their first two games of the tournament (4:3 Australia ; 3:0 Tunisia). Germany had their first chance when Hinkel freed Deisler on the right and his low cross found Kuranyi but Schalkes new man could keep his shot on target. The hosts kept their South American guests penned back with the Argentinians only managing one attempt at goal in the 18th minute with a header from Luciano Figueroa. Deservedly, the home side took the lead in the 29th minute when Kuranyi pounced to turn home a deflected effort from Fabian Ernst. The young German side didn't gat long to relish their lead. Just three minutes later Argentinas Juan Roman Riquelme from Spanish side FC Vilarreal drilled home a free kick from a good twenty meters leaving keeper Timo Hildebrand without a hope. The Argentinians gained more control after their equaliser with Riquelme (36') and Carlos Tevez (45') both trying their luck before half-time.
Cambiasso blasts home another equaliser
Trainer Jose Pekermanns side started the second half brightly with Riquelme again testing Hildebrand who stood up to the task. In the 51st minute it was the Germans who showed how it's done, and at pace. Kevin Kuranyi played a wonderful direck pass picking out the run of future club colleague Gerald Asamoah who blasted his shot low and hard past Lux in the Argentinian goal. The visiting side put on the pressure in search of an equaliser with Cambiasso (52') and another Riquelme free kick (62') keeping the German defence alert. Missed chances for Germany through Kuranyi (63') and an impressive run and drive by Sebastian Deisler (67') would be punished when the South Americans snatched a second equaliser in the 74th minute with a deflected shot from Cambiasso. In the final fifteen minutes both sides appeared tired and both failed to really test either keeper.