Werder Bremen's Miroslav Klose scored his fifth goal of the World cup tournament to help Germany towards next Tuesday's semi-final.
Werder Bremen's Miroslav Klose scored his fifth goal of the World cup tournament to help Germany towards next Tuesday's semi-final.
Werder Bremen's Miroslav Klose scored his fifth goal of the World cup tournament to help Germany towards next Tuesday's semi-final. Klose grabbed a late goal (80') to draw level with Argentina at 1:1 put the game into extra-time during which no goals fell - penalty shoot-out!!! The host nation won out 5:3 after penalties. Tim Borowski got his first World Cup goal from the spot and Torsten Frings can put this game down as one of his best performances ever.
Jens Lehmann from Arsenal was Germany's real hero on the day though, saving two of Argentina's penalties from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso, while the German penalty takers all held their nerve and put away their spot kicks superbly.
The German selection started with their favoured starting eleven in a sold out Olympia Stadium in Berlin with 72,000 crammed into the phenomenal arena. In the seventh minute Lukas Podolski tested the Argentine keeper with a 30 yard free-kick which Abbondanzeri could only gather at the second attempt. Ten minutes later it was captain Michael Ballack who was causing problems in the Argentina box when he got his head to a Bernd Schneider cross but his effort went agonisingly wide of the mark. With a tense stalemate the first half ended.
It was just after the re-start that the 'Gauchos' took the lead. From a Riquelme corner defender Roberto Ayala got ahead of his marker and headed the South Americans in front (49'). It took the German side a while to recover from the shock but it was the introduction of David Odonkor in the 62nd minute that inspired Germany to up the tempo.
Shock waves rippled all across Argentina in the 71st minute when keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri crashed with Miroslav Klose and was subsequently substituted with Atletico Madrid's Leonardo Franco getting between the posts. The coach José Peckermann opted for a more defensive tactick and also replaced Riquelme with the more defensive Cambiasso. The Gaucho's did get another opening when a lapse at the back allowed Maxi Rodriguez to get a shot away but he could only hit the side netting (72).
The new Argentina keeper had his first taste of the action in the 76th minute when Sebastian Schweinsteiger's replacement Tim Borowski let fly from distance but the keeper was never troubled by the shot. Franco's next action though was to pick the ball out of his net. Michael Ballack swung in a cross which Tim Borowski nodded on and Miroslav Klose flung himself at the ball heading out of the reach of the keeper to give Germany their well deserved equaliser (80').
In the 86th minute Jürgen Klinsmann made his final switch bringing Oliver Neuville for the drained Klose. The introduction was to have no effect on the scoreline though and extra-time beckoned.
The German side started the extra period in determined fashion but failed to create any real openings. Carlos Tevez tested the reactions of Jens Lehmann in the 106th minute with a shot from distance but the effort gave the keeper no real problems. A high tension game of football was going to have to be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
For Germany Oliver Neuville, Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski and Tim Borowski all confidently placed their penalties to give Germany the upper hand but it was keeper Jens Lehmann who proved to be the real hero saving from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso to send Germany through to the semi-final on Tuesday night where they will face Italy who beat Ukraine 3:0 in their quarter final clash.
