Germany

www.germany.com

World Ranking 5

Squad

Team Review

Germany are the bookies favourite to lift the trophy but I’m not so sure. If it wasn’t for the fact that Germany wasn’t so close to Austria and Switzerland I don’t think they would have a chance. All their best players are aging and I don’t think the new crops of players are not up to the high standard required by the people of Germany. There only hope in my view is that if Ballack re-discovers his form from a couple of years ago he could spur the rest of the players around him to up their game but if not I think they might struggle.

Star Man

Lukas Podolski, has been in exceptional form for club and country this year with some fine performances for Bayern
Munich plus he is also leading the scoring in Germanys qualifying campaign. This summer all eyes will be on him hoping he performs at a level expected by the German fans as he has sometimes been known to hide away on the big occasion.

Also check out who we think will be the 'players to watch' in the tournament

Tournament History

Quarter Final

	Q.Final	Time	2ome		Away	Stadium
	1	19:45	Portugal	2 - 3	Germany	Basel St. Jakob-Park

Semi Finals

	S.Final	Time	Home		Away	Stadium
	1	19:45	Germany	3 - 2	Turkey	Basel St. Jakob-Park

Final

	Final	Time	Home		Away	Stadium
	F	19:45	Germany	0 - 1	Spain	Vienna Ernst Happel

Match Reports

Germany 2 - 0 Poland

(Podolski 20, 72)

This game was marred by controversy as a Polish national newspaper had doctored pictures printed within in it showing Polish head coach Leo Beenhakker holding the severed heads of German Coach Joachim Lowe and Captain Michael Ballack.

The game stared with a buzz and both teams were trying their upmost to create chances but the first fell to Lukasz Podolski who took it with ease to take the Germans into a slender lead.

The polish fought back, but the Class of the German midfield pair Ballack and Frings really took a hold of the game and made sure Germany didn’t let things slip and in the 72nd minute Germany doubled their lead with another goal from the Polish born Podolski which he again didn’t celebrate.

After that there was only one outcome and that was Germany winning the game comfortably which they duly went on to do with Podolski picking up the man of the match award for his 2 goal display against his country of birth.

Croatia 2 - 1 Germany

(Srna 24, Olic 62) (Podolski 78)

This was to be the decider as to whom would win group B and it was the Croats who came out on top with a memorable 2-1 win in Klagenfurt. It was to be a game in which the tournament favourites were outclassed by a Croatia team led by the creativity of Luka Modric. The game started well enough for the Germans with them having a decent amount off possession but it was Croatia stunned the Germans by fashioning the first chance on goal which Srna slid in to score. The Croats then dominated for a period in which Kranjcar had to great chances to double their lead but he missed both. Ballack did test the Croatian goal with a 30 yard blast of the ball but Pletikosa was equal to it.

Croatia went into half time with a deserved half time lead, and started the second half in the same vain as the first putting pressure on the German defence and it was not long till they struck a second albeit with a slice of luck as a long range effort form Rakitic took a slight deflection which caught Lehman off guard and all he could do to stop it was parry it onto the post were it rebounded off straight into the path of Olic who calmly placed the ball into the unguarded net.

The Germans then went on the offensive themselves managing a few half chances then Podolski pounced on Ballacks knock down to smash his low effort past Pletikosa. The Germans tried their hardest to pull another on back but in trying to do so, lost their discipline as Bastien Schweinsteiger received a red card for pushing Leko over who made a real meal of the incident. After that the game was won by an impervious Croatia side that look to by dark horses for winning the championship.

Austria 0 - 1 Germany

(Ballack 49)

The Germans had it all to play for losing their second game to the impressive Croats and so did the Austrians who were still in with a chance to qualify albeit a slim one. The Germans were the better team in the first half although the Austrians were trying with all their might to stop them. The Austrians did have quite a bit of possession but never really looked like scoring.

Then came the second half and with it came the moment the whole of Germany were waiting for as within 5 minutes they had earned them selves a free kick which was being lined up by Ballack who with one almighty strike nearly tore through the net making it one nil to the Krauts.

The game never really picked up and toward the end the most exciting moment was both coaches being sent to the stands for arguing with each other and then the ref. Ballacks goal was enough to see them through to the quarter finals with a date with Portugal on Thursday to look forward to.

Quarter Finals

Portugal 2 - 3 Germany

(Nuno Gomes 40, Postiga 87) (Schweinsteiger 22, Klose 26, Ballack 61)

The game began with pace and flair as both teams looked like they both wanted something from the game and the first chance came in the 19th minute when Joao Moutinho had an effort just go over the bar, and as so often in football the Germans went up the other end of the pitch with a sweeping counter attack with Podolski beating his man and swinging in a cross which was finished by Schweinsteiger who had basically run the length of the pitch to be on the end of it. This was never going to be a night for Portuguese flamboyance and it showed as the Germans looked superior keeping it simple and they grabbed another goal when Klose heading in a close range effort to beat Ricardo. Portugal then went up a gear and pulled one back through Nuno Gomes. Game on, or so they though as it didn’t take long for the Germans to regain their composure and put they game beyond doubt with another header which was controversial as when he jumped up for the header he clearly pushed Chelsea team mate Ferieira who strangely didn’t appeal to the ref. at 3-1 the game looked all over and the Germans started to become negative in their play which invited pressure on to them selves and it paid off for the Portuguese when in the 87th minute substitute Postiga headed in to send the last minutes of the game into a frenzy, Portugal sadly couldn’t capitalise and the game finished 3-2 to Germany.

Semi Final

Germany 3 - 2 Turkey

(Schweinsteiger 26, Klose 79, Lahm 90) (Boral 22, Senturk 86)

Before the game everyone thought in would be a walk over for the Germans but they were proved wrong by a Turkish side that never say die. Straight form the off the Turks were attacking the Germans who quite simply weren’t ready for the assault and it showed as within minutes of the kick off Turkey had them pinned back in their own defensive third and were putting pressure on their back line who in the early moments looked very shaky. In the first 20 minutes it was all Turkey and they came mightily close with an effort from Kazim-Kazim as his thunderous shot thumped the bar and rebounded back into play only for the second effort to go harmlessly wide. Then within 5 minutes Turkey were 1-0 up against all odds with Kazim-Kazim again causing all sorts of problems and after his second effort on goal rebounded back of the bar again only for Ugur Boral to finish albeit with a slice of luck after Lehman made a hash of the save and let the ball trickle behind the line.

Against the run of play Germany pulled one back within 5 minutes and it was literally their first attack of the game when Podolski beat his man and swung a low cross into the area for Schweinsteiger to chip the ball delightfully over the outstretched Rustu. Turkey carried on as they began an kept the Germans in their own half up until half time with the teams going in all square. The second half was one of the most exciting of the tournament which is what I have come to expect with Turkey playing, and they didn’t  disappoint as they attacked and hurried and immobile German back line who were having a hard time keeping the Turks at bay. They held out though, until the 79th minute when a German counter attack found Lahm who crossed the ball into the danger area for Klose to head home after a terrible error from Rustu who came out to punch a ball he had no right going for.

The game looked as good as over but as Turkey had done before in their previous three games they miraculously levelled in the with 3 minutes to go after a lapse of concentration from Mertesacker and Lehman to gift Semih his third goal of the campaign. The game looked as though it was heading into extra time when a brilliant piece of attacking play from the Germans gave Lahm the chance to make up for his earlier error and Spank home the winner from 6 yards out leaving poor Rustu with no chance. The Germans had done it again, even though they were the poorer side throughout the game and lacked any imagination and creativity. Turkey on the other hand had done themselves and their nation proud and their campaign will no doubt go down in the history books as one to remember form a team that never know when they are beaten.

Final

Germany 0 - 1 Spain

(Torres 33)

The game was always going to by a tight one and it proved to be quite the opposite as Spain once again took the game to their opponents who early on looked shaky. Torres hit the post with a header early on in the half, but it took the Spanish jus 30 minutes to carve open the German defence after a masterful pass from Iniesta to play in Torres in, who still had a lot to do, and by god didn’t he do it! Out pacing two defenders and chipping the ball nonchalantly over the advancing Lehman who was helpless as the ball bounced in the side netting.

The game was to continue as it had started with Spain dominating and playing the kind of attack branded football Spain have made their own during this tournament. Spain had a few other chances to increase their lead but failed to do so. I felt sorry for Ballack who tried his best to drive his team on but to no avail. It was to be Ballack who had Germany’s best chance of the game and it was a half chance at that, as he struck a volley with his shin with the ball bouncing harmlessly wide of the post. Apart from that, the Spanish kept them pinned back in their own half producing pass after pass of sheer quality. You could see the Spanish players just looking for that killer pass and on a few occasions nearly found it.

The game didn’t have to many other chances as Spain were perfectly happy to just knock it about them selves in the German half frustrating the hell out of their opponents. The game was to finish 1-0 but it was a deserved win by the Spanish who were the team of the tournament largely thanks to their midfield which was for lack of a better word perfect in every position.