By RYAN TOLMICH
It was one of the more emphatic statements in recent memory. With four goals in six minutes on their way to a 7-1 destruction of host nation Brazil, Germany put forth one of the most dominating performances ever seen on the World Cup Stage.
Toni Kroos, like virtually all of his German teammates, dismantled the Brazilian defense through the game’s first thirty minutes. Kroos kicked off the German goal bonanza in the game’s 11th minute by assisting a Thomas Muller finish that turned out to be merely just the first snowball of a German goalscoring avalanche.
Following a record-breaking Miroslav Klose finish in the 23rd minute, he 24-year-old added to the Brazilian misery just a minute later by slamming home a Phillip Lahm cross to push the lead to three. Just two minutes later, Kroos made it four by firing into a wide open Brazilian net via a Sami Kehdira assist. Three more German goals followed, but the additional punishment was little more than a formality after Kroos’ first half explosion all but ended Brazil’s World Cup participation.
Although virtually every German participant put forth a performance worthy of recognition, it was Kroos whose play broke the Brazilian spirit, as the Bayern Munich midfielder beat out Lahm, Kehdira, Muller and Andre Schurrle for Man of the Match honors.
What did you think of Kroos’ performance? Who stood out to you in Germany’s 7-1 demolition of Germany?
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