Germany Win
Germany Win World Cup.
Germany has become the first European team to ever win a World Cup in the Americas, beating Argentina in Sunday’s final in extra time, 1-0.
German substitute Mario Goetze scored in the 113th minute to account for the win at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after neither team scored in regulation.
Goetze used his chest to control a crossing pass on the left side from teammate Andre Schuerrle and kicked it inside the right post, past Argentine goalie Sergio Romero.
Germany’s Mario Goetze (19) (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring his goal in extra time against Argentina’s goalkeeper Sergio Romero during the World Cup final soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, July 13, 2014. (credit: Felipe Dana/AP Photo)
South American teams won the seven previous times the tournament was played in the Americas.
Sunday’s win marked Germany’s fourth World Cup championship, but the first as a unified country. West Germany won in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
Germany and Argentina had met twice before in the World Cup title game. Argentina won in 1986, and the Germans won in 1990.
It was the third straight World Cup championship that went to extra time.
In 2006, Italy beat France, 5-3, in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw. In 2010, Spain’s Andres Iniesta scored just before the end of extra time in a 1-0 win over the Netherlands.
In a symbolic gesture before the championship game, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Sepp Blatter, president of football world governing body, FIFA, took part in a World Cup handover ceremony.
Russia will host the 2018 World Cup.
On Saturday, the Netherlands handed Brazil its second straight devastating loss, topping the World Cup’s host country, 3-0, to capture third place in the tournament.
The Netherlands’ Robin van Persie and Daley Blind scored in the early minutes, demoralizing a heavily partisan Brazilian crowd in Brasilia. Georginio Wijnaldum added a late insurance goal.
Brazil, a consensus favorite to win the tournament and a five-time winner of the World Cup, suffered an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the semifinals.
With Saturday’s win, the Netherlands finished the tournament unbeaten in regular play.
The Dutch were coming off a 4-2 penalty shootout loss to Argentina in the semifinals that followed a scoreless draw. They finished second at the World Cup in South Africa four years ago and were looking to again place in the top three.
Source: Mike Richman/VOA News