The third team to reach the quarterfinals will be decided today as England and Germany do battle (10am, ESPN) in a match between two European heavyweights.
England enters the match having struggled in Group C, where it finished second and scored just two goals. Fabio Capello needs to lead the Three Lions to victory here, otherwise he'll feel the wrath of an English media which is pouncing on his every move.
Having won Group D, Germany heads into the game boasting a talented, young team. Led by the crafty Phillip Lahm, the Germans will aim to continue its success against its well known opponent.
This is Franco Panizo and I will be providing commentary throughout this morning's match. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Commentary is after the jump
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FINAL- That's all for me for now. Please feel free to leave your post-game thoughts, opinions and analysis in the comments section below. As always, stay tuned to SBI and Foxsoccer.com for more coverage of the World Cup.
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FINAL- Germany looks as strong a team as any. Muller, Ozil, Podolski, Klose, all are enjoying strong tournaments. Their runs with and without the ball are superb.
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FINAL- England's early exit from the World Cup is sure to come with lots of criticism, especially geared towards Capello, Rooney and Terry and the defense.
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FINAL- Germany demolishes England, 4-1. Germany was clearly the better side today, but there is sure to be lots of talk about the goal that wasn't called.
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90th minute- Just waiting for the final whistle now.
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88th minute- While it wasn't as bad as France or Italy, England was definitely one of the disappointments of this World Cup. Wayne Rooney failed to live up to the hype of being one of the best players on the planet and the team mustered just three goals in four games.
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83rd minute- I know U.S. national team fans are disappointed with the loss to Ghana yesterday, but they can at least take pleasure in knowing their team exited the tournament with a hard-fought match, while England has been completely dominated over the course of this game.
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79th minute- While the English media will probably point to Lampard's goal that never was, Capello will surely receive a bunch of backlash for this dismantling. Will he stay on as manager through Euro 2012 as his contract says? I don't think so, not with these performances and this result.
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75th minute- For everyone picking a Spain-Brazil final, not so fast. While Germany's team has more youth to it than in previous World Cups, it should definitely be considered a favorite.
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71st minute- Another example of England getting caught with too many players forward. That's the risk you take when you push most players forward.
Ozil made a strong run down the left side before laying the ball off to the center of the penalty area to a wide open Muller, who scored easily.
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70th minute- GOAL GERMANY! 4-1! Muller scores again on another counter attack. WOW.
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69th minute- England takes a poor free kick and pays for it as Germany springs a counter that ends with Muller blasting a shot to the near post.
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66th minute- GOAL MULLER! 3-1 GERMANY! Muller hits a hard shot past James on an incredible counter attack.
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64th minute- Capello makes a change: Joe Cole in for Milner.
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63rd minute- Schweinsteiger hits a low shot from the right side of the 18, but it just goes wide. Better there from Germany.
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59th minute- Muller gets by a defender with a nice move but his shot is off the mark.
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56th minute- Milner hasn't impressed me much. Capello would do his team wonders if he replace Milner, maybe with someone like Aaron Lennon.
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53rd minute- If anyone is going to score the equalizer today, it looks to be Lampard. He has come close twice. Well, once. The other time he scored but it was not called in his favor.
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52nd minute- Lampard smacks a free kick from distance off the crossbar, and England almost pulls level.
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47th minute- Friedrich picks up a silly yellow card for a foul on Defoe near midfield.
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46th minute- Second half is underway.
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HALFTIME- England needs to keep pressing, while Germany needs to settle things down and get back to its short passing sequences. It has been a wide open affair, in favor of England, since Upson's headed goal.
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HALFTIME- Incredible stuff. One moment Germany is dominating, the next England pulls one back and looks to have equalized. Second half should be very open and fun to watch.
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HALFTIME- The first 45 comes to a close and Germany leads, 2-1, but what a half.
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43rd minute- England is now controlling the tempo of the game. Germany looks a little shaky after giving up a goal.
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40th minute- That's sure to spark more of the soccer-needs-replay conversation. How does everyone feel about it? Think it should be used?
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39th minute- Wow. Replays show that the ball was clearly inside the goal, but no goal given.
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38th minute- WOW! Lampard floats one over Neuer off the restart, and it bounces on the goal line. Referees deem it to not have crossed completely. We'll have to see it on replay.
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37th minute- GOAL ENGLAND! Upson heads a Gerrard cross over an oncoming Neuer! Now we have a game on our hands!
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36th minute- Klose with some great dribbling inside the corner of England's six yard line and his shot is pushed out by James. Nice individual skill there by Klose, who is knocking on the door for a second.
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35th minute- England almost pulls one back, but Lahm makes a clearance after a shot gets past Neuer.
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32nd minute- GOAL PODOLSKI! 2-0! Another great passing sequence carves open England's defense, and Podolski nets from the left side of the penalty area. WOW.
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30th minute- Sharp passing down the middle puts Klose through on goal, but James saves a would-be goal.
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27th minute- Milner tries to dribble by a guy, but he runs into referee Jorge Larrionda, who strips him of the ball.
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25th minute- Barry unleashes a shot from distance, but its gobbled up by Neuer.
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21st minute- Fabio Capello must be livid with his defense there. They just let the ball bounce towards goal and watched as Klose got onto it. Upson was only nearby defender.
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20th minute- GOAL KLOSE! 1-0 GERMANY! Neuer boots a kick upfield, Klose catches England's defense napping and gets on the end of it before slotting the ball home.
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18th minute- Khedira and Schweinsteiger get called for a foul on Lampard around 25 yards out. This could be dangerous.
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15th minute- Muller and Ozil play a great one-two down the right flank. More of that is sure to unlock the English defense. Neat stuff there.
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12th minute- Cole slides into a tackle and Muller is in pain. Looked like a good challenge there.
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7th minute- Lahm finds space down the right flank to maneuver. How he fares against Ashley Cole could prove to be vital today.
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5th minute- Ozil gets inside the box, takes a shot but its saved well by James.
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3rd minute- Is this going to be the game where Rooney steps up and takes charge? He's struggled to impose his will so far in the tournament.
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1st minute- And we're underway. Who is everyone taking today?
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PRE-GAME- Here is England's starting XI (in a 4-4-2 formation):
James; Johnson, Terry, Upson, A. Cole; Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Milner; Defoe, Rooney.
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PRE-GAME- Here is Germany's starting XI (in a 4-4-2 formation):
Neuer; Lahm, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Boateng; Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Muller; Ozil, Klose.
But once again stinking at a team like Bayern Munich doesn’t make a player rubbish. The best striker of the tournament so far Diego Forlan was benched at Manchester United.
+1
May be, but the U.S. can beat them on any given day and should have beaten germany in 2002. Does Germany have better individual players than England? No, but they work better as a team.
You know what? Here’s the lesson of this world cup: reputation doesn’t make a team. France, Italy, and now England weren’t as good as Ghana, Uruguay or the US.
The assistant was correctly positioned to call offside, which is his primary responsibility. The problem is that he cannot be in place to call that, and be in position to be looking down the line to see if the ball has crossed the line.
Podolski was benched and so was Klose. They stink at the club level. It is about unity. They become good players when they jell together but Germany can be had. Ghana had the better play against Germany and Germany was lucky because Ghana could not finish.Ghana just had to do it against us. I think Klinsmann would fine because he understands the American player. For the talent the U.S. has, they play well as a team. Klinsmann should get an interview.
Ozil 21, Podolski 25, Schweinsteiger 25, Boateng 21, Khedira 23, Lahm 26…
Klose and Friedrich are the only starters today that will be past their primes in ’14. Yikes. But it would be a towering achievement to beat Brazil on their home turf.
If Mexico gets a lead, we will see if Maradona can actually coach. Should be a great game regardless. Looking forward to it
Good for him. My point is Altidore didn’t score a goal but he was effective and threatening. He still set players up. Our guys just couldn’t finish. ie (Feihalber v Ghana)
What did Rooney do?
On to another exciting game in 2 hours… Argentina-Mexico.
He did keep the team very tight. I think when you coach a team that is carrying that much pressure, you have to help them relax which he completely did not do.
But all that raises the question of how Bradley did do for us, when we’ve seen so many of the big coaches screw up too.
Muller just got 2 today and he’s 20.
‘Germany doesn’t have that great of talent?’…
but still much more talent than good old USA!!!
This is to all the people throwing shade towards Altidore. How many goals did Rooney score? He is the best striker in the world and scored 0 goals. I guess Rooney isnt good enough and shouldnt start for England. (sarcasm)
And passing… composure… quickness… speed of play…
Also, players who can get the job done.
Terry was the game’s ultimate goat–a total nightmare and shambles on defense. Slow and out of position at every key moment. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
That said, the Germans put on a clinic. That’s how you play winning football.
I agree.
Oh I see. I do agree that Sunil needs to go.
This is what the US lacks. The instinct to punish, punish, punish. Germany buries their chances.
Go Argentina!!! Germany – Arg in the quarters would be so much fun.
I am saying replace Sunil with him. Someone had to hire Sunil, they can fire him too. Not saying their need to be changes but the German contingent is who I want.
We learned today that it’s hard to stop goals when you have to get from one side of the net to the other on your Hoveround.
But they have a lot more talent than us.
His save on Gerrard was big, but he totally misjudged that Lampard shot that hit off the crossbar. This is the bizarro Germany team.
Klose and Polsoki underperforma at Bayern Munich one of the best teams in the world. Hell Brazil’s best striker couldn’t hack it at Manchester City.
scratch that…England decided that not to show up for the 2nd half….
I have heard ESPN and Univision analysts make similar comments about England: No heart and not enough team effort.
The solution to diving isn’t to review the plays in-game. It’s to have a review following every game and retroactively apply suspensions for upcoming matches. Diving would go away very fast if they did that.
And I know they’ve occasionally done this, like with Eduardo this past year but it’s very rare. They should start hammering down on diving. It’s so preventable.
Curse of Write the Future. Only Brazil and Portugal left.
If people on this site were England fans, they would be ripping Capello for choosing Upson and probably sticking with Terry (who had a bad WC). Instead, it’s obvious their players didn’t get it done.
Great stuff on ESPN with McManaman and Klinnsman dissecting the match post-game
Before the game,Klinsmann was talking about his goal with Loew that they tried to take the playing style for Barcalona and the prem too. Klinsmann got this team playing and Loew is continuing it. I’d rather have a coach like that that encourages a team to fight with spirit, rather than a coach who stands motionless as his team is hoofing the ball long after his favoritism for trash put the team down early.
Funny to thnk he is Turkish… the German team isn’t even German anymore.
And just like that, there goes Group C.
Is it okay that seeing England lose like this makes me feel much better about USA’s efforts?
It may not have anything to do with US, but I just like seeing England lose 🙂
Gerrard bagged a couple goals, but hardly was able to dominate possession, which is his main job. England rarely controlled the midfield in this tournament.
Bismark sinks the Hood!! Bye bye England!
This is ironic on so many levels.
Klose has 100 caps and has played in 3 world cups Altidore is 20.
They ran the risk of getting knocked out like this when they finish second in the group. Only have themselves to blame, not the goal not given.
He’s right. Both Podolski and Klose underperform for their clubs but when put in a system that allows them to perform efficiently that plays to their strengths, they excel. THAT IS what the US needs.
You kidding? Sunil is a power freak. They wouldn’t surrender any power.
They said: “Soccer is a sport where 22 players chasing a round ball and at the end Germany wins”
In South Africa: “Soccer is a sport where 22 players chasing a JABULANI ball with the VUVUZELA background and at the end Germany wins
Are you even watching the games?!?!
Gerrard has scored 2 of their 3 goals. I am counting the on they scored but didn’t count.
To the person who attributed Germany’s success to the talent, I say pay Loew and the head of the german soccer federation what they want and bring them in. I do not care what it takes. They play like a machine and are always successful at the world cup. They know how to get it done.
Oh really…you could have fooled me.
ENGLAND IS IN ROOINS
they do it so you can’t miss the final by accumulation. They wipe them for the quarters so you can only get rebooked in the semis and not miss it by getting two yellows in two games
They changed it once the competition began they don’t carry over after the Qtr Final.
Please. England will react with shock if Heskey scores.
And at least Bradley didn’t hold on to a sub until he needed 3 goals in 3 minutes.