2010 World Cup - Argentina vs Germany 4-0 full time report
The FIFA 2010 World Cup continues to witness upsets as one after the other favourites are thrown out. Just a day after Brazil were sent home Argentina were humbled by Germany 4-0 in a pretty much one sided match.
Germany set the pace with a goal in just the 3rd minute of the match; the 20 year old Muller rose high and headed in the first goal on a free kick.
In the 2nd half Argentina looked rattled as the South Americans continued to pursue an equaliser. Germany hit them on the break and scored 3 more to put the match to bed.
Germany have brought a young side to the World Cup, and before the World Cup by no means they were one of the favourites to go all the way. However, they have shown immense speed and exuberance of youth that has seen them blow away teams like England and Australia.
Germany started the match in lightening quick fashion, Schweinsteiger curled in a free kick from the edge of the box and Muller headed it home to send the cat amongst the pigeons. Argentina were certainly not expecting a goal that early, and all the locker room plans went out of the window but still it was Germany all the way. Germans had the measure of South Americans for almost the entire 45 minutes and went into half time with a 1-0 lead.
There were no changes at the break; Argentina came out looking to attack, and Germany gave the ball away. Angel di Maria hit a screamer with his left foot from about 25 yards that had Manuel Neuer scrambling along his line before it drifted a couple of yards wide of his right-hand post.
Then it was Germany's turn to try and kill the pace of the game, with Argentina very keen to get a move on. Mesut Ozil was crowded out inside the Argentinean territory and the Albiceleste came again.
Argentina started to get more of the ball, they got Angel di Maria away down the right and his deep cross was chested into the path of Carlos Tevez, who hit a fierce left-foot volley that smacked flush into the face of Per Mertesacker.
2 minutes later Germany had a free-kick 35 yards out and they all wanted to take it, but it was left for Lukas Podolski to hammer into the wall. Moments later, Gonzalo Higuain was flagged offside from Lionel Messi's pass.
The game was a bit over stretched and both teams were giving it away cheaply.
Nicolas Otamendi's poor control led to him fouling Miroslav Klose 25 yards out in a central position. It was Bastian Schweinsteiger's turn to hit one into the wall.
Carlos Tevez then hit one from 25 yards, but it was too straight and there was another comfortable save for Manuel Neuer. Moments later Gonzalo Higuain shot from an angle on the left and despite some poor handling, Neuer gathered at the second attempt.
Argentina continued to press forward; Sami Khedira somehow found a pass to Lukas Podolski on the left and his perfect pass along the six-yard box was tapped in by a gleeful Miroslav Klose, his 13th goal in World Cup finals.
Diego Maradona sent on midfielder Javier Pastore for defender Nicolas Otamendi, who had a poor afternoon, but still there was no Sergio Aguero, no Diego Milito, and no Martin Palermo - not yet.
2 nil against Germany, one could not have imagined that, but it got better for Germans, Bastian Schweinsteiger, who had ran the game from start until finish, jinked past a couple of half-hearted tackles down the Germany left until he found the perfect pass for Arne Friedrich to bundle in his first goal for his country, 3 nil for Germany Argentina were in state of shell shock.
There were no clear cut opportunities for Argentina as they continued to look for answers, while Germans were in a festive mood and topped off the match with a 4th goal one minute from the end. Germany broke with pace as Lukas Podolski sent Mesut Ozil away down the left and his floated cross landed perfectly for Miroslav Klose to volley into the corner past Sergio Romero. Klose now has 14 goals in World Cups, one behind the great Ronaldo.
To end that was just the cherry on the top; Argentina joined the list of big names sent packing, while the young German side made their way into the semi final.
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