Friday, June 23, 2006

Ecuador 0-3 Germany

Hosts Germany made it three wins out of three in the World Cup as they beat Ecuador to finish top of Group A.
Miroslav Klose, now with four goals, became the tournament's leading scorer, first putting the Germans ahead early on by rifling home from close range. He then coolly slotted in from Michael Ballack's brilliant chip before Lucas Podolski slid home to wrap it up. Ecuador will play England in the last 16 on Sunday, while Germany face Group B runners-up Sweden on Saturday. The Germans were clearly taking the threat of a possible meeting with England more seriously than Ecuador and, despite having already qualified, were at full strength. Having started the World Cup as dark horses, Germany's qualification for the knockout stages has been remarkably easy. Granted, they have not faced any sort of test yet, coming up against a poor Costa Rica, a woeful Poland and now Ecuador who rested half of their first-team regulars.
But they have beaten every team they have faced, and they never seriously looked in any danger of not getting all three points once again in Berlin.
They took an early lead when Ecuador hopelessly failed to clear their lines and Bastian Schweinsteiger cleverly pulled the ball back for Klose to arrow into the corner from eight yards.
In truth, Germany should have had it wrapped up well before the break. Klose just failed to connect with a Philipp Lahm cross, Bernd Schneider lashed one off target and Ballack's audacious 50-yard lob flew just over the bar. Podolski looked like he desperately needed a goal to boost his flagging confidence, but when the killer second came, it fell to his strike partner once more.
Ballack's sumptuous chip cut out two defenders and Klose - albeit clumsily - rounded Cristian Mora and slotted home to double the advantage. If Podolski was worried, he need not have been. Just before the hour mark, he finally broke his World Cup duck. Germany repelled an Ecuador attack and broke quickly on the counter, Schweinsteiger sending Schneider away down the right from where the midfielder crossed superbly for a sliding Podolski to guide the ball home. They cantered home after that, coach Jurgen Klinsmann using his substitutions to give Klose, Torsten Frings and Schneider a rest ahead of their last 16 tie on Saturday.
Which, as they face Sweden, is almost certain to be their first real test of the 2006 World Cup.
Posted by Samvit :: 6:28 AM :: 0 comments

Post a Comment

---------------oOo---------------