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SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2014 Germany boys prepare to wreck Messi’s dream RIO DE JANEIRO: A Germany side chasing a place in lenge in the last 16. injury-time winner to beat Iran, and two more goals history will attempt to wreck Lionel Messi’s dream of They coolly neutralised a dangerous-looking against Nigeria. Messi’s run and pass created the FAN FERVOR a World Cup coronation with Argentina on Sunday as France 1-0 in the quarter-finals and swiftly turned extra-time winner for Angel Di Maria against the month-long football carnival hits a climax at the their attention to dismembering Brazil. Switzerland in the last 16. Maracana Stadium. “As a player or a manager I have never seen a While he was largely anonymous in the semi-final The 64th game of one of the best World Cups of team celebrate a big victory so quietly,” German team win over the Dutch, Germany will know that one slip all time pits Europe against South America-a duel manager Oliver Bierhoff said after the France win. on Sunday could present Messi with a match-win- between two football superpowers in one of the From top to bottom, the German spine has exud- ning moment, just as it did for Maradona in the 1986 sport’s most evocative arenas. ed quality. Manuel Neuer has looked unbeatable in final against the Germans. Germany are attempting to become the first side goal while Mats Hummels has been a silky and solid Man-marked out of the match by Lothar from Europe to win a World Cup in the Americas, presence in defence. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Matthaus, Maradona still created the game’s winning determined that a golden generation will finally gets Sami Khedira have proved a formidable midfield duo, goal-a sublime first-time through ball which released it reward after a string of near-misses. allowing the likes of Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil to Jorge Burruchaga to clinch a 3-2 victory. Messi, meanwhile, is seeking the triumph which flourish. Thomas Mueller has been a deadly goalscor- “Regardless of whether he scores goals or not, his will silence forever the remaining critics who argue ing threat-five goals so far in the tournament-while influence is decisive,” Argentina coach Alejandro that the absence of a World Cup title precludes him the 36-year-old Klose has chipped in with two goals, Sabella said of Messi after the quarter-finals. from a place alongside Diego Maradona in football’s becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer in “A game has many aspects, apart from goals. pantheon. the process. When you have a player such as Messi, who never, or The momentum is firmly with Germany after their Germany’s 17 goals in the tournament-more than almost never, loses the ball, it’s water in the desert- astonishing 7-1 semi-final demolition job of Brazil, double Argentina’s total have come from eight differ- and not just when he scores.” through a combination of superb attacking play and ent players, a testament to the team ethic which per- Yet for all the parallels with 1986, the last World defensive incompetence. Ominously for Argentina, vades Joachim Loew’s squad. Cup meeting between the two nations may be more Germany say they quickly put the win firmly in the Brazil have Neymar, Portugal have Ronaldo, relevant-Germany’s 4-0 romp in the 2010 quarter- rear-view mirror. Argentina have Messi and Germany have a team,” ran finals. Seventeen players involved in that Cape Town All German eyes are now on the historic Maracana one widely retweeted summary on Twitter this week. match featured in this week’s semi-finals, 10 for and a chance to claim the ultimate prize after losing Ranged against Germany’s attacking arsenal are Germany and seven for Argentina. in either the final or the semi-finals in their last four an Argentina side led by 27-year-old Barcelona But many observers have wondered whether major tournaments. superstar Messi. Messi’s dip in form last season was due to a pre-occu- “We enjoyed the game against Brazil, but we The four-time world footballer of the year came pation with the World Cup. ticked it off after 24 hours,” said Germany striker into the tournament determined to atone for two It could be that the diminutive genius has been Miroslav Klose. That same steely determination has disappointing World Cups in 2006 and 2010. plotting all along to claim the crown on Sunday at characterised Germany’s road to Rio, notably in com- Like Maradona 28 years ago, he has dragged his the Maracana. “If he is saving his best performance ing from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw with Ghana in team over the line at key moments in Brazil. He for the final,” said former England manager Glenn Group G and outlasting an awkward Algerian chal- opened with an individual goal against Bosnia, an Hoddle, “it will be a joy to watch.” —AFP Loew saves Germany’s best for 2014 final RIO DE JANEIRO: Joachim Loew has again saved Germany’s best until the World Cup finals with the 54-year-old poised to finally claim his first major title in Brazil. Having been appointed Jurgen Klinsmann’s assis- tant in 2004 before becoming head coach in 2006, Germany have reached at least the semi-finals of all five major tournaments during his decade involved. “Everyone changes over ten years, you gain exeri- ences, you have triumph and defeats, but what he has preserved is a clear-cut philosophy,” said his cap- tain Philipp Lahm, who has been with Loew every step of the way. “He addresses issues which need looking at early on and leaves nothing to chance.” Third-place at the 2006 World Cup heralded Germany’s return to the international stage after failing to reach the knock- out stages of Euro 2004. Loew took the Germans to the Euro 2008 final where they lost to a Spanish side at the start of a golden era. Despite fielding one of the youngest squads at the 2010 World Cup, Loew’s young guns hammered Australia, England and Argentina in South Africa. Spain again ended the Germans run to the final, but this time a third-place finish failed to satisfy a title-hungry nation. Despite steering Germany to a perfect set of 10 wins to qualify for Euro 2012, Loew started being criticised after losing RIO DE JANEIRO: A combination of file photos shows Germany’s forward Thomas Mueller (left) kicking to Italy in the semi-finals. the ball and Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi (right) taking a shot on goal. —AFP The charges levied at him by the German media piled up. Too hard. Too soft. Too stubborn. Too loyal. six months on the sidelines with a knee injury. ‘Home the quarter-finals, while the 7-1 semi-final thrashing Doesn’t listen to the public. Depends too much on before the semi-finals’ was the general verdict from of the hosts is the outstanding result of Brazil 2014. aging striker Miroslav Klose. Must drop Mesut Ozil. disgruntled fans. A fourth World Cup title victory will elevate Loew More grumblings followed when Loew copied Fast forward five weeks and only Argentina stands to ‘football god’ status enjoyed in Germany by Franz Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola in switching in the way of Loew winning the World Cup title at Rio Beckenbauer (1990), Helmut Schoen (1974) and Sepp captain Philipp Lahm from right-back to midfield this de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium on Sunday. Herberger (1954). season. Germany qualified for Brazil with nine wins Khedira and Schweinsteiger have been oustand- Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff says the from ten matches, only a stunning fight-back by ing in the defensive midfield and Lahm effortlessly mild-mannered Loew deserves all the praise he gets. Sweden, who drew 4-4 in Berlin, blotted another per- switched to right-back once the pair were fit. “I sometimes smile when I read reports that Loew fect record. Thomas Mueller was unveiled as Germany’s new must listen more to the German public,” said Bierhoff The mutterings grew louder when Germany’s final striker with a hat-trick in the opening rout of with Loew having won 76 of his 111 internationals. World Cup squad was announced. Injury-prone 36- Portugal, then slotted back to the right wing for “He’s always ready to listen and compromise, he year-old Klose was the only recognised striker. Klose. likes debating things with his own players and Captain Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and A back four exclusively made up of centre-backs coaches. This man is not a dictator. Manuel Neuer all arrived at the training camp carry- was a success in the group stages and repeated faith “Neither is he shy about hard decisions. He is hon- ing injuries. paid off with Ozil slowly finding his form. est with his players. “The overall success is a jigsaw Sami Khedira arrived from Real Madrid unfit after Old rivals France were comfortably dealt with in puzzle, but Loew’s piece is the biggest.”—AFP Boy-next-door out to take World Cup home RIO DE JANEIRO: Thomas Mueller could Having spent the season on the wing, leave Brazil with another Golden Boot, but head coach Joachim Loew switched him to all the Bavarian boy-next-door really cares striker for Germany’s first game and he about is winning Sunday’s final to take the promptly netted a hat-trick against Portugal.