Miroslav Klose, Germany’s active goals leader, scored twice, which would have been more than enough for his side to eliminate Argentina from the World Cup.
That wasn’t all, though. The Germans also got a goal from a 20-year-old who Argentina’s coach famously thought was a ballboy five months ago and another player who had never scored an international goal.
Klose tied Gerd Mueller’s record for most World Cup goals by a German, Thomas Muller and Arne Friedrich also scored and Germany backed up all its pregame trash talk, trouncing Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday.
Die Mannschaft advances to the semifinals on Wednesday to face the winner of Saturday’s Paraguay-Spain match.
Klose, getting his 100th cap for Germany, helped turn a close game through the first half into a blowout, scoring in the 68th minute and adding the finale in the 89th minute.
Argentina manager Diego Maradona probably knows who Muller is now after refusing to share a podium with him following a March friendly in Munich, thinking Muller was a ballboy. Muller scored Germany’s first goal just three minutes into the match, heading home a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick off Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero from six yards out.
Then, with Argentina continuing to create offensive chances, Klose stepped up in the 68th minute. He took Lukas Podolski’s ball in the box and tapped it into an open net.
Six minutes later, Friedrich scored his first goal for the German side, knocking in Schweinsteiger’s ball into the box.
The Germans, who have been dominant much of this tournament, finished off their South American rivals in the 89th minute, when Klose finished Mesut Ozil’s cross, then somersaulted.
La Albiceleste’s Lionel Messi, who some in the media have called the best player in the world, finished the World Cup without a goal. Fittingly, he was stonewalled by Manuel Neuer just a few seconds from time.
Argentina had some good chances but was unable to finish. Messi’s through ball to Carlos Tevez in the 2nd minute was stopped by Neuer. Angel Di Maria shot right at Neuer in the 33rd minute, and two minutes later, Gonzalo Higuain tested the keeper again, who made a diving stop at the near post.
An offsides call off the ensuing corner negated an Argentina goal – at least four Argentines appeared to be offsides.
In the second half, Germany’s Per Mertesacker blocked Tevez’s shot with his face and Higuain again shot right at Neuer for an easy save in the 63rd minute.
Germany made headlines with pre-match verbal attacks on Argentina, which it beat on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals four years ago. German captain Philipp Lahm called the Argentine side “impulsive” and “temperamental” and said “they don’t know how to lose.”
Team manager Oliver Bierhoff called Argentina “aggressive and provocative” and Schweinsteiger said La Albiceleste had “no respect” as they “try to influence the referees.”
NOTES: Mueller will miss Wednesday’s match after getting his second yellow card of the tournament in the 35th minute for handling the ball. … Germany is 36-2-1 all-time when leading at halftime in World Cup play. Argentina is 0-9-1 when trailing at halftime. … Germany has reached the semifinals for the third straight World Cup. ... Klose’s second goal was his 51st all-time for the national team. Klose and Mueller are tied for second-most ever with 14 at the World Cup. Brazil’s Ronaldo scored 15.
Photo above: Miroslav Klose scores during Saturday's game. (Joern Pollex/Getty Images)
Video credit – ESPN on ABC
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