PLAYOFFS
▲Ghana 0 - 1 Germany
PHOTO: EPA
Pragmatic Germany had to revert to old-school tactics to see off an outstanding Ghana team 1-0 on Wednesday and reach the second round of the World Cup.
Fighting for their future in the tournament after a tame defeat against Serbia, Germany were dumbfounded in the first half against at Soccer City, as the Africans matched them all over the field.
With Michael Ballack, the team’s inspiration on so many occasions, missing from this tournament through injury and striker Miroslav Klose suspended, it fell to the youngster Mesut Ozil to earn the win with a moment of pure brilliance, as he lashed a shot into the top corner from outside the box.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The 21-year-old Ozil took the Man of the Match award, but it needed a display of pure sacrifice from every player on the German team to eke out the win that took them through as Group D winners and set up a second round match against England.
The result, coupled with Australia’s surprise 2-1 win over Serbia, sent Ghana through along with Germany and on this evidence both sides will have options to make further progress.
Germany will have reminded a lot of people of their traditional virtues as the three-time world champions soaked up intense pressure in the second half of the game.
The daredevil style that marked their 4-0 win over Australia was absent apart from a couple of early breaks down the right, though they did get Ozil clean through once more in the half.
Ghana, fired by the dangerous Kevin-Prince Boateng and Kwadwo Asamoah, caused so many problems that Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira spent most of their time fighting fires inside their own half.
It says much for Ghana’s skill, spirit and workrate that even after Ozil’s superb goal they continued to rattle Germany and it needed a captain’s display from right-back Philipp Lahm to keep the defense in any sort of shape.
On and on the Ghana forwards attacked, probing Germany full-back Jerome Boateng — brother and opponent of Kevin-Prince — and keeping goalkeeper Manuel Neuer busy throughout.
That they could not find a goal may suggest Ghana will find themselves short of a great finisher when they go on to face the US in their last 16 game.
Their consolation will be that few sides will show such teamwork and organization in defense as this German team.
Joachim Loew’s side have shown a scrappy side to their game quite in keeping with the World Cup winning teams of the past.
Loew would doubtless prefer to see them playing with the quick passing and adventure that marked the Australia game, but every great team needs a back-up option and Germany can feel pretty good about having road-tested theirs.
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