Germany finished top of Group D to qualify for the knockout stage with 6 points. A 4-0 demolition of the Australia in their first game put them in pole postion to qualify. That was before they were beaten 1-0 by Serbia. A goal from Mesut Ozil gave them a 1-0 against Ghana to help them qualify. Germany have 5 players on one goal a piece.
England went through 2nd in Group C with 5 points. After scrapping draws against USA & Algeria. They beat Slovenia narrowly 1-0 in their final game. Steven Gerrard and Jermain Defoe are their joint top scorers with 1 goal each.
Germany 4 (Klose 20, Podolski 32, Mueller 67,70) England 1 (Upson 37)
Mezut Ozil had an early chance to open the scoring but David James saved in the English goal. Along ball from Manuel Neuer only needed a touch from Miroslav Klose who put it under James on 20 minutes to put Germany 1-0 up. Klose could have put the Germans 2-0 on 31 minutes but James was able to save again.A minute later Lukas Podolski put them 2-0 up with his shot in off the post from and angle. That was after Klose came down the wing, his pass was flicked on by Thomas Mueller it came to Podolski who had an age to make it 2. A short corner from England came to Steven Gerrard who put a cross in and Matthew Upson cushioned his header into the net. A minute later it should have been 2-2 after Frank Lampard smashed an effort against the crossbar and bounced over the line but the goal was not given. Half time 2-1 to the Germans, it could have been 4-0 Germany or 2-2.
Lampard rocketed a freekick against the crossbar on 52 minutes. Thomas Mueller ran in on goal but put his effort wide after 56 minutes. Germany restored their 2 goal lead after a quick German break allowed Bastian Schweinsteiger to play in Meuller who directed his shot past James, that was 3-1 after 67 minutes. England were hit on the break for Germany's fourth. A pass over the top put Gareth Barry and Mesut Ozil in race but Ozil was far too pacey for Barry, Ozil ran half the length of the pitch, got into the box and passed to Meuller who had an easy task to side foot the jabulani home. Steven Gerrard had a chance on 81 minutes but his effort was saved by Neuer.
The final score was 4-1 to Germany but that could have been the half time score. England played well after they got a goal back but they have failed to live up to the hype once again. Germany's young stars were brilliant and deserved their victory. Had they not won the World Cup would have been worse off.
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