2010 Fifa World Cup: Uruguay v Germany full time report
Uruguay 2 Germany 3
Germany have finished third at the 2010 World Cup after winning an entertaining clash with Uruguay in Port Elizabeth.
Thomas Mueller followed up a Bastian Schweinsteiger effort to slot the European side in front early on with his fifth tournament goal, only for a Schweinsteiger error to set up a Uruguayan break that ended with Edinson Cavani poking in an equaliser.
The Uruguayans were in front early in the second period after Diego Forlan brilliantly volley home his fifth goal of the World Cup, only for an error from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera allowing Germany's Marcell Jansen to equalise.
It was a match of many chances, which was finally settled when Sami Khedira popped up to head home Germany's winner after Mesut Oezil's corner wasn't cleared.
Both Mueller and Forlan are now level with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder in the race for the Golden Boot, with Mueller ahead due to making more assists. In truth though, both could have had more goals in this entertaining, absorbing clash.
In a lively start, as first Germany's Mueller had a goal rightly chalked off for offside, before Uruguay's Forlan curled a free kick narrowly wide.
Arne Friedrich has one goal in the competition, but the German centre back almost got his second with a header from Oezil's corner that bounced back off the crossbar, but Mueller's moment was imminent.
Schweinsteiger scored two long range goals when Germany beat Portugal in the third place playoff four years ago, and the midfielder tried his luck from distance again on 19 minutes. After after his swerving effort was parried by Muslera, the ever-alert Mueller - the favourite to win the Young Player of the Tournament award - was on hand to tuck home the rebound from eight yards out.
Not that the goal deflated Uruguay, and after Friedrich was forced to clear a Cavani flick from underneath his own crossbar, the South Americans hit back.
In the absence of flu victim Philipp Lahm, Schweinsteiger - one of the players of the tournament - was given the captain's armband, but the Bayern Munich man suffered a moment to forget as he lost the ball in a challenge with Diego Perez, and then watched on as Uruguay broke, three on two, and Luis Suarez played in Cavani, who took a touch before poking an effort beyond Hans-Joerg Butt for the equaliser.
Suarez should have done better when played through by Forlan shortly before the break, and just after half time when his close range effort was well saved by Butt. Forlan, though, was shortly about to show him how it's done.
Egidio Arevalo Rios broke forward down the right hand side and crossed the ball in. It was behind Forlan, but somehow the Atletico Madrid forward adjusted his body and hit a stunning volley from the edge of the penalty area to boost his own Golden Boot claims.
But the lead wasn't to last long, and after the nervy Muslera came for a Jerome Boateng cross and hopelessly missed it, Jansen was on hand to nod home the softest of equalisers for Germany.
It was really ebbing and flowing now, and Suarez - roundly booed by the crowd for his "hand" in Ghana's quarter final exit - soon had an effort on the turn blocked, before he struck a ferocious 30-yard effort that Butt palmed away.
The veteran goalkeeper was soon denying Forlan, before Mueller drove harmlessly wide at the other end. The pair both had their eyes on a Golden prize.
Jansen's cutback soon found the disappointing Cacau, who could only fire wildly wide, before he was soon replaced by Stefan Kiessling, who tested Muslera with an effort from distance.
The winner was imminent though, and after Uruguay failed to deal with Oezil's devilish inswinging corner, Khedira capitalised on defensive hesitation to send a looping header into the far corner of Muslera's net.
Keissling soon missed a golden opportunity when clean through, and he was almost made to regret it in stoppage time, when Forlan crashed a free kick against the crossbar with the last kick of the game.
That would have put him ahead in the Golden Boot race, but it wasn't to be, and it is Germany who end the tournament in the third place.
It's not what they would have wanted before the tournament, but they'll take it.
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