World Cup Final 2014
Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet)
- Venue – Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro
- Referee – Nicola Rizzoli
- Attendance – 74,738
Teams
Germany – 01 Neuer, 16 Lahm, 04 Höwedes, 07 Schweinsteiger, 20 Boateng, 05 Hummels, 23 Kramer (09 Schürrle), 18 Kroos, 11 Klose (19 Götze), 13 Müller, 08 Özil (17 Mertesacker)
Argentina – 01 Romero, 04 Zabaleta, 16 Rojo, 14 Mascherano, 15 Demichelis, 02 Garay, 22 Lavezzi (20 Agüero), 06 Biglia, 09 Higuaín (18 Palacio), 10 Messi, 08 Pérez (05 Gago)
The Tournament
This amazing World Cup tournament finally concluded on the 13 July at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Like a cup of South American coffee, the grouts had slowly sunk to the bottom and the cream had risen to the top in the shape of Argentina and Germany.
Before we continue with the match review, we must look back and summarise what has been a very good World Cup competition and pick out some of the main memories.
This has been a tournament memorable for the amount of goals averaging nearly three a game. The group stage alone produced a total of 136 goals which is only nine fewer than were scored during the entire 2010 tournament in South Africa.
As well as the number of goals there has also been the quality factor to consider with the best coming from most people’s player of the tournament James Rodriguez of Columbia who also scored the goal of the tournament against Uruguay before going on to win the Golden Boot for most goals in this World Cup.
Although this was indeed a stunning strike it is in close competition with Tim Cahill’s awesome volley against the Netherlands in the group stages and the excellent diving looped header scored by Robin van Persie against Spain in one of the opening games of Group B. Great goals were also scored by Lionel Messi against the Iranians and of course Jones for the USA against the Portuguese.
This competition will also be remembered for some excellent team performances especially from some of the underdogs such as Algeria, Iran, USA and little Costa Rica and also seriously great team displays from the likes on finalists Germany who have used this effectively in reaching the final again.
There have also been excellent goal-keeping demonstrations with stand-out performances from Tim Howard (USA), Keylor Navas (CRC), Raïs M’Bohli (ALG) and Guillermo Ochoa (MEX). For different reasons we have to remember the introduction of Tim Krul for the penalties against Costa Rica and the saves that saw the Dutch progress into the next round.
The tournament has had plenty of the above mentioned heroes but we have also had a few villains with the stand-out one being Luis Suarez (tears at Selhurst Park) for his bite on Chiellini against Italy which unfortunately dominated the news more than the football for a good few days afterwards.
Lastly we come to a few features not previously seen at the World Cup in the shape of ‘cooling breaks’ which were in place due to the extreme heat and humidity in some parts of Brazil. The first of these breaks was a game changer in the encounter between the Netherlands and Mexico that saw the Dutch re-group and push on to win this game in dramatic circumstances.
In addition to ‘cooling breaks’ we witnessed the introduction of two other factors in the shape of water based vanishing foam and goal line technology. The former was used by the referees to mark out ten yards from a free-kick or to draw a nice crescent shape around the ball position at free kicks. Goal line technology was used for the first time at the World Cup to eliminate the controversy surrounding phantom goals and was a major factor in a number of scenarios but especially the rewarding of the second French goal against Honduras in Group E.
Into the last sixteen and a massive five games out of eight required extra-time with two games needing to be settled on a penalty shoot-out all of which added to the dramatics and entertainment value for many of us more neutral fans since the expected departure of a poor England side.
This has been a truly memorable World Cup that had kicked off over a month ago with the opening encounter between Brazil and Croatia that in turn set the scene for much of the coming competition.
The Journey To The Final
Moving over to the matter in hand in the shape of the much awaited final in Rio de Janeiro under the gaze of Christ the Redeemer from high above.
Germany had qualified for the final for the eighth time with a 7–1 win over Brazil. This was the biggest defeat in the history of the Brazilian team going back to 1920. Argentina were back in the final for the first time since 1990 bringing both of these footballing giants together in what is the most repeated and common of encounters in the World Cup final. Argentina and Germany have met twice so far in the final – 1986 Argentina won 3-2 but they were defeated 1-0 in Italia 1990.
Following the thumping handed out to Brazil in the semi-finals, Germany were the obvious favourites and most pre-match questions would be around the fitness of certain key players such as Mats Hummels for the Germans and Argentina’s Angel Di Maria as they had both missed the semi-finals. Further questions related to whether little Lionel Messi would be able to finally light up the completion and see his team to victory.
The key question however would be how the Argentinians would line up against a very well organised and structured German set-up where the whole team performance had been key in the competition without the reliance on single individuals to see them through to this point.
Germany had found themselves in the final following a 4-0 win over Portugal, a 2-2 draw with Ghana and a 1-0 win over the USA in the group stages followed by a 2-1 win (AET) against a very brave Algerian side in the last sixteen. A 1-0 win over the much fancied French in the quarter-finals saw them meet host nation Brazil in the semi-finals with that emphatic 7-1 drubbing of Scholari’s incredibly disorganised Brazilian team.
Argentina progressed to the finals following a 2-1 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina, a tight 1-0 victory over Iran and a 2-3 victory over Nigeria in their group. They then met Switzerland in the last sixteen and overcame the Swiss deep into extra time with a single goal from Angel di Maria. The quarter finals saw them take on another fancied team in the shape of Belgium’s golden generation who they overcame with a 1-0 win before progressing the semi-finals and a match to forget against the Dutch. After the allotted regulation and extra time it still stood at 0-0 but the Argentinians quality penalty kicks saw them win 4-2 in the end with no Tim Krul to be seen on this occasion.
The Final
The scene was set with the Maracana awash with the blue and white of Argentina in what was almost a home game with so many of their fans simply crossing the border.
Amongst them in the stadium, large pockets of German support could be seen along with the yellow shirts of Brazil probably also supporting the Germans against their bitter foe. You have to wonder how many of the yellow shirted Brazilian fans had purchased these tickets fully expecting to see their beloved Brazil in this huge match watched across the globe.
The players entered the field to rapturous noise with the Argentinians dressed in a dark all blue kit. The Germans looked more familiar in their normal white top but with white shorts and socks.
The German anthem came and went but the Argentinian anthem raised the roof with the crowd literally bouncing. The big news before the game kicked off was an injury in the warm up to German midfielder Sami Khedira who was replaced by Kramer.
Expectations from both nations were incredibly high as the Germans kicked off on the dappled green playing surface with the sun peeking through in a few key spots across the pitch and in the faces of the crowd on the far side of the stadium. Early possession was all Germany with the Argentinians sitting deep and defending in numbers.
The first attempt in the third minute was from a German free-kick but just rebounded off the wall allowing the Argentinians to come close at the other end.
Following this the Germans looked much stronger, had the better possession and a few more of the chances all coming down their right hand side with Lahm looking open but with Argentina occasionally causing the German defence issues breaking from set pieces and of course Messi looking very menacing in the early stages on a number of occasions.
The twentieth minute saw an excellent opportunity for Argentina to take the lead with a terrible back header from Kroos that fell straight into the path off Higuaín of Argentina. The crowd were on their feet, the noise level increased only to be replaced with noisy groans from around the Maracana as the ball was completely scuffed past the German goal without Neuer having to make a save. A very poor strike that could be a huge factor as the game progressed.
The game then went into more of a pattern with Germany pressing and pushing the Argentinians back into their own half but a breakaway down the right was crossed beautifully into the path of Higuaín who slotted home. Arms held aloft and running off towards the bench screaming like a man possessed only to see that the flag had been raised and the goal would not stand.
Germany continued to dominate but started to get drawn into fouling the Argentinians. The Germans received their first booking for a challenge from Schweinsteiger followed by another cynical tackle on Zabaleta by Benedikt Höwedes. Their first clear cut opening came in the ten minutes before the break with a strike from Schürrle which was saved by Romero with the German attack adjudged to be off-side.
As we neared the half-way mark the game was there for anybody to win and was getting a little physical and spicy mainly due to the frustration of the Germans. The score finely poised and certainly not a cagey affair with both sides going for it and looking to take the initiative.
A cleverly crafted ball from Ozil saw Kroos have an effort minutes before the break but this did not cause Romero any difficulties whatsoever as he gathered easily as his near post.
An awful clash saw Kramer knocked unconscious in the Argentine penalty area but amazingly enough another player that suffered a head injury in this tournament was permitted to play on. It was only a matter of time before he was replaced by Andre Schürrle and the departing Kramer looked in a terrible state as he left the pitch. Clearly it was a cursed position after Kramer replacing Khedira before kick off.
With the game hotting up Müller crossed the ball but it drifted harmlessly between the Argentinian keeper and Klose. The best chance of all came in the final exchanges of the half when Höwedes rose to meet a German corner in the box with his header slamming against the post and into the grateful arms of Romero.
All in all, a great first half dominated by the Germans but the Argentinians looking dangerous and breaking fast when in possession.
The second half started with a different pattern with the Argentinians looking more dangerous and having the early chances. The introduction of Agüero was surely aimed at giving the Argentinians more attacking impetus and the ability to keep the ball higher up the field and away from their own defence that had come under so much pressure in the first half.
Messi went very close on almost immediately just missing the far post past the outstretched Neuer in the German goal. The Argentinians were looking more and more dangerous in the opening exchanges as they stretched the game and this time started to push the Germans back into their own half.
The next main taking point was the foul on Schürrle just outside the box from which the referee decided to play the advantage resulting in a German corner that did not threaten in the end. Higuaín then broke away onto a loose ball at the other end but was absolutely smashed to the ground by the on-rushing Neuer who punched the ball out to safety.
Javier Mascherano was then booked for Argentina closely followed by Sergio Agüero for an extremely nasty challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger as the game became more and more physical. With a little under twenty to go the Argentinians come close with a shot from Lionel Messi from outside the box which was assisted by Enzo Pérez. At the other end there was a very weak shot from André Schürrle.
The game then became more and more edgy as it whittled away to the allotted minutes with attacks at either end which were either well defended or resulted in poorly taken attempts coming to nothing. The half ended with three minutes of additional time being added but with either team now not looking like scoring and the game running away and into extra time.
Extra time opened with a bit of a wake-up call for the Argentinian defence with two shots immediately raining in from the Germans. The first attempt was saved by Romero from a Mesut Özil shot and followed by one from Schürrle.
Germany dominated for large portions of the first period of extra time but were lucky to escape a Palacio attempt that was looped over the head of Neuer as he rushed out to close down the angle with the ball bouncing harmlessly wide of the target.
Tension was gripping the air as the teams huddled round at the end of the first period of extra time but the evidence was that this was either going to penalties or would take a single player to find that last bit of energy and air in their lungs to cease the moment and win the World Cup.
With everything at stake, concentration ebbing away, limbs aching and muscles cramping the second period was kicked off by Argentina.
Mascherano was lucky to escape a second yellow due to a nasty tackle on Schweinsteiger and then the poor German received a painful knock in the face from Agüero’s flailing arm which saw blood trickling down the face of Schweinsteiger who was now having lumps kicked out of him.
With the game looking as though it was destined to go the way of penalties, André Schürrle broke away down the left and crossed into the centre. The cross was met by the young starlet in the shape of Mario Götze who took the ball well on his chest and shaped for the shot which was lashed past Romero and into the net. Goooooaaaaaaalllll
Germany had finally managed to breach the stubborn Argentinian defence with a matter of minutes left to play. The pendulum immediately swung the other way as Argentina tried to save their hopes and chances of winning the World Cup.
With the clock ticking away, Neuer rushed out to snub out an Argentinian attempt on goal before Messi’s header went harmlessly over the bar. With the Germans now running down the clock in the closing part of extra time Mertesacker comes on for Mesut Özil.
In the last throw of the dice Messi placed the ball on the ground in injury time of extra time and with Argentina having won a free kick this time conceded by Schweinsteiger. With the ball placed on the floor and Messi looking to create something special he ran up and blasted the ball miles over the bar in an attempt that perhaps sums up his tournament in many ways.
With whistles around the stadium and the German substitutes in the technical area, the referee finally blew the whistle breaking Argentinian hearts and cementing Germany as World Champions for the fourth time. A fourth victory that sees the Germans draw level with the Italian’s with only hosts Brazil having won the tournament a stunning five times.
Despite Argentina having the better chances, the German team were the better side. This team were not just the best in this game but were the best team of the whole competition.
The World Cup was held aloft by Germany, ticker-tape raining down and fireworks going off in the Brazilian sky. This wonderful World Cup had finally and sadly come to an end leaving us with nothing but memories.
We have been treated to 64 games and 171 goals and as the sun set over Rio de Janeiro and went down on the 2014 World Cup we could not really have wished for a better World Cup competition in Brazil.
We now just need to wait another four years before we are entertained again at this level with this wonderful game of football and all of its passion and colour that goes with it on the biggest stage and competition in the world.
