Germany advance to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ semi-finals after triumphing 4-2 over Argentina in a penalty shoot-out following a tight, tense match in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Friday, 30 July 2006 that had ended locked at 1-1.
It proved impossible to separate these sides during normal time, with 120 minutes only able to conjure up a couple of goals, Miroslav Klose’s 80th-minute equaliser cancelling out a 49th-minute opening goal from Roberto Ayala.
That left the match to be settled by penalties, and it was Jens Lehmann who proved the hosts’ hero, saving from both Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso, while Oliver Neuville, Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski and Tim Borowski all successfully dispatched their spot kicks past Argentina’s substitute goalkeeper Leo Franco.
The match:
7’: After a nervy, niggly opening to the game, punctuated regularly by the shrill blast of referee Lubos Michels’ whistle, the first chance fell to the hosts, with Roberto Abbondanzieri spilling a 25-yard Podolski free-kick only to gather nervously at the second attempt.
16’: Ballack passed up a superb chance to give Germany the lead, heading wide of the right-hand post from 16 yards after timing his run to perfection to charge in on a beautifully-weighted cross from Bernd Schneider.
19’: Argentina, for whom Carlos Tevez was making a lively contribution to his second start of Germany 2006, forced their first and only half-chance of the opening 45 when marauding left-back Juan Pablo Sorin burst through on to a Tevez nutmeg and was only prevented from teeing up Hernan Crespo for the opener by a timely interception from Per Mertesacker.
45': With the action fast, furious but all too often lacking in quality, the teams went into the half-time break without either goalkeeper having been called into any meaningful action for the best part of half-an-hour. The fans’ muted response to the half-time whistle betrayed their disappointment with the first-half fare, which had fallen some way short of expectations.
Ayala’s opener
49’: Fortunately, the game was finally brought to life within four minutes of the re-start as Argentina broke the deadlock. Riquelme swung in a corner from the right, Ayala got in front of Klose and met the ball with a header, which evaded the dive of Lehmann and Philipp Lahm on the near post.
64’: Germany won two corners in quick succession, with the second leading to a genuine scoring chance for Ballack after Abbondanzieri failed to claim the ball. Ballack’s shot was blocked and then a follow-up header by the Germany captain was claimed gratefully by the goalkeeper.
71’: Abbondanzieri was replaced by Franco in the Argentina goal. Seven minutes earlier, the Boca Juniors goalkeeper received a blow to his hip from Miroslav Klose. Despite extensive treatment from the Argentina physio, the change had to be made.
73’: Argentina came close to doubling their advantage when Lahm’s misplaced pass was intercepted by Tevez. After the diminutive forward dribbled past the German defence, he slid the ball to Maxi Rodriguez, who fired the ball into the side netting.
80’: With the Albiceleste looking good to protect their single-goal lead, Germany equalised. Ballack’s ball from the left was flicked on by Tim Borowski and Klose headed home his fifth of the tournament.
89’: Argentina threatened when Luis Gonzalez’s header arrowed towards the right-hand corner of the net. Lehmann made a fine one-handed save at full-stretch, but a goal would not have counted as Tevez, lurking in the hope of a rebound, was adjudged to be offside.
Extra-time
105’: In the final action of the first half of extra time, Gonzalez hit a volley just wide of the target in a 15 minute period without an shot on goal.
106’: Straight from the restart, Tevez long-range effort was gathered the ball comfortably by Lehmann.
113’: Another shot from distance, this time from Fabricio Coloccini, but his drive finished well wide of the Germany goal. Two minutes later, the defender tried his luck again, but his right-footed effort clipped the top of the crossbar.
Penalties:
Lehmann was the hero for Germany as his saves from Ayala and Cambiasso were crucial in the Nationalmannschaft’s progression to the semi-finals. The hosts had a 100 per cent success rate from the penalty spot, with Neuville, Ballack, Podolski and Borowski all converting.
In conclusion:
Jurgen Klinsmann’s decision to elect Lehmann as his number one for this FIFA World Cup appears to be justified by this result alone. His two saves have given Germany a place in the semi-finals, where they will meet Italy or Ukraine. For Argentina, who took the lead in this game, it will be a long journey home for a team which performed so well in the early stages of this tournament.
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