Miroslav Klose stands alone at the top of the FIFA World Cup top scorer list after grabbibg another brace in Germany's 3:0 win in their final group gam against Ecuador to give them maximal point from thei three group games.
Miroslav Klose stands alone at the top of the FIFA World Cup top scorer list after grabbibg another brace in Germany's 3:0 win in their final group gam against Ecuador to give them maximal point from thei three group games.
Miroslav Klose stands alone at the top of the FIFA World Cup top scorer list after grabbibg another brace in Germany's 3:0 win in their final group gam against Ecuador to give them maximal point from thei three group games. With four goals in three matches, Klose pulls past Spain's Fernando Torres who picked up his tournament second and third against Tunisia on Monday evening.
Fot the final game in the group, against also previously qualified Ecuador, Torsten Frings and Miroslav Klose made the starting eleven yet again. Tim Borowski made an appearance as substitute in the 66th minute.
The German side started the game with an almost identical side to the one which started against Poland. Jürgen Klinsmann made one change at the back with Robert Huth filling in for Christoph Metzelder who was both carrying a slight injury and a yellow card from the previous week. The Ecuador coach Luis Suarez was even more careful with his selection, having already guaranteed a second round place the coach rested a number of his first selection including goal scorers Agustin Delgado and Carlos Tenorio.
The South Americans made a bright start with Ivan Kaviedes came close to getting on the end of a Luis Valencia cross in the third minute but Jens Lehmann was able to gather ahead of the striker. The German team were also quick off the mark though and after a combination between Per Mertesacker and Bastian Schweinsteiger the ball fell to Werder Bremen's Miro Klose who lashed the ball past the Ecuador keepr on the turn to give Germany an early lead (4').
The host nation were in complete control of the game over the next extended period and almost had a second when Philipp Lahm fed Bernd Schneider (19'). It took until the 33rd minute for Germany's next big chance and again it was Klose who turned to catch a dropping ball on the volley which flew just too high of thre target. There was a scary moment for the German side before the break when Jens Lehmann clashed with Ivan Kaviedes and had to be treated for a hip injury but was able to continue (40').
It was right on half time when Miroslav Klose struck again to give the 'Home' side a 2:0 cushion. Michael Ballack played a wonderful ball into the box which split the Ecuador defence. Klose somehow forced his way past Giovanny Espinoza, controlling the bal at the same time, and with keeper Mora stranded the Werder man claimed his fourth goal of the competition.
Jürgen Klinsmann made no changes in the break so the German side re-started the game in front of the 72,000 crowd in Berlin as they'd ended the first. "We'll try to get a third goal as quickly as possible, 2:0 is a dangerous scoreline", commented assistant manager Joachim Löw at the break. The goal eventually fell in the 57th minute. Ecuador were caught on the break as Schweinsteiger and Schneider combined to set up Lukas Podolski for his first of the tournament.
The German coach made a double change in the 66th minute bringing Tim Borowski and Oliver Neuville for Torsten Frings and Miroslav Klose. Seven minutes later Gerald Asamoah replaced Bernd Schneider (73').
Even in the final minutes with their opponents obviously tiring the German side took their foot off the gas but still created chances with Michael Ballack trying his luck from distance (77') and Bastian Schweinsteiger (85').
England's 2:2 draw with Sweden later in the evening means that Germany will face the Scandinavians on Saturday afternoon in a promising second round clash which will mark the fall of the hosts or one of the World Cup's fancied title challengers.
