Fans for Germany at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa were shocked on Friday when Serbia stunned the German team 1-0 in a Group D match that was considered a ‘sure thing’ for the German squad.
Milan Jovanovic made the most of the match, scoring a minute after German striker Miroslav Klose—the lead scorer at the 2006 World Cup— was ejected with his second yellow card of the match.
The disappointment for Germany comes days after demolishing the Australian team 4-0, in a match that secured confidence and an even more confident group of bidders.
To make matters worse for Germany, Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, who is often considered the weak link of the Serbian team, stopped Lukas Podolski’s penalty kick in the 60th minute of play. He was able to predict the kick by diving to the left. After the game he was seen grabbing the ball and putting it under his jersey.
The penalty kick was the first Germany missed in a World Cup since 1974.
Jovanovic said: “we beat Germany after [38] years, and it’s something real big for us.”
Deue to the structural arrangements of both teams, using one striker in midfield, the match turned into a physical, tough contest, with Serbia giving Germany little space or opportunity for the quick passing and flowing style that saw them beat Australia. Spanish referee Alberto Undiano gave out a tournament high nine yellow cards, but the one that cost the most was the second given to Lose.
Immediately after scoring Jovanovic sprinted off the field and embraced ecstatic Serbian fans.
The German best effort came at the end of the first half, when Sami Khedira hit the crossbar and a bicycle kick by Thomas Mueller was cleared off the line by Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov.
“It was a difficult game, a very important game for us,” Stojkovic said. This is a great victory for all of us. We have showed we are a good team and we believe in ourselves.”
After two games in Group D, each team has three points. Ghana also has three points, and plays its second match—against Australia—on Saturday.
“I believed my players could do this,” said Serbian head coach Radomir Antic. “If this is the return of the fighters, I don’t know, but we have to remain positive about ourselves. We’ve had a great opportunity where we depend only on ourselves in the next match. This is a very important win for our people.”
“We had eight yellow cards and a second yellow [for Klose], I think this was not necessary,” said German head coach Joachim Loew. “There were a couple of tackles where I felt the yellow cards were justified but there were many... given for tackles that weren’t malicious at all and could have been avoided.”
Up until Klose’s dismissal the German had been in steady control of the match.
Fans are shocked as the three time World Cup winners’ bright start saw them obtain a great scoring opportunity after only three minutes of play (a cross by Thomas Mueller found Sami Khedira). The was seconded by another attempt four minutes later, when another cross by Mueller was volleyed just wide by Podolski.
The Serbs were unable to capitalize on their first chance after twelve minutes of play when Milo Ninkovic found himself with space but blasted a cross from Milos Krasic over the bar. However the match was turned on its head when seven minutes later Klose was given his second card, for bringing down Krasic. The lead was taken by Serbia a minute later, with a superb effort from the squad that culminated in Jovanovic’s strike.
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