Semi-Final Spain 1-0 Germany
Germany and Spain go head-to-head in the second semi-final on Wednesday evening. The match gives the Germans the opportunity to avenge their defeat to a Fernando Torres goal in the final of UEFA EURO 2008. No less than 19 survivors from that game – eight Germans and 11 Spaniards – will be on show in Durban, yet much has changed since that night in Vienna.
La Roja have struggled at times to produce the same majestic football that swept them to the European title, while Joachim Low’s revamped unit are unquestionably the form side of the competition. Die Nationalmannschaft have been winning new fans with their adventurous approach and earning praise from even the most seasoned of observers, Franz Beckenbauer among them. “Germany have never played like this before,” said an admiring Kaiser after his compatriots had seen off Argentina in the last eight.
The match
Germany-Spain, Semi-Final, Durban, Wednesday, 7 July, 20.30 (local time).
While no side has scored more goals in the tournament than Germany’s 13, the statistics show that Spain have done more attacking than anyone. If those two pieces of information are anything to go by, this should be quite a match. The Germans have been nothing short of spectacular in South Africa. After putting four past Australia in the group phase, they clicked into top gear in the Round of 16, overwhelming England 4-1 with their rapid counter-attacking style and then put another four past Argentina in the quarters.
Though Spain have reached a semi-final for the first time ever, they have been unable to match the exacting standards they have set for themselves in recent times, reproducing their eye-catching possession football only sporadically. Victors by a single goal in their last three games, the European champions can justifiably point to some massed defences as the reason for their reduced creativity, but there will be no excuses for a lack of spark come kick-off time on Wednesday.
All the indications are that Vicente del Bosque will keep faith with the XI that started against Paraguay, which means a reprieve for the misfiring Torres, who has yet to score. As for opposite number Low, his most pressing problem is to find a replacement for the suspended Thomas Muller, with Piotr Trochowski, Toni Kroos and Cacau all in the frame.
Players to watch
Miroslav Klose v David Villa
The leading marksman at South Africa 2010 with five of his country’s six goals, the Spanish striker is just one away from joining Raul as La Roja’s top scorer of all time. No less important to his team than the in-form Villa, Klose is closing on another record. The German forward needs to find the back of the net one more time to draw level with Brazil’s Ronaldo as the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15 goals. One behind the Spaniard in the South Africa 2010 charts, Klose has not given up hope of making off with the adidas Golden Boot as well.
The stat
3 – The number of times the two sides have faced each other in FIFA World Cup matches. Germany have yet to lose, winning 2-1 at England 1966 and Spain 1982 and forcing a 1-1 draw at USA 1994.
What they said
“Spain are the favourites to my mind and their team play is just amazing. They don’t have one Messi, they have several, and they don’t make many mistakes either, unlike England and Argentina. We need to force them to make errors,” Joachim Low, Germany coach.
“We haven’t come this far to finish fourth. We are going to fight hard against Germany to reach the Final, which is our one and only objective. We’ve reached a landmark for Spanish football by getting past the quarter-finals, but we know the Germany match is the most important in our history, even more so than the EURO 2008 final in Austria,” Iker Casillas, Spain goalkeeper and captain.
@ Puma:27 – Sorry typo there. 😯 Meant – fanatical. 😀
30@ Durban Bulle:
I said…. undecided still…. waiting for Snorrie to pick the team.
@ grootblousmile:
100% die 9 Aug is ek daar vir my B-Day…:-)
Weereens baie dankie aan jou en superbul…… dis rerig n droom vir my….. Baie beter as superbru se cap vir 3de plek…lol
@ grootblousmile:
dink daai Griquas game gaan n surprize wees, Kwas het n baie goeie span wat heel Vodacom saam gespeel het
Lemoene und kartoffelen und sauerkrait time…
@ grootblousmile:
hope the bokke do it.. im coming up for the 21 Aug so want the cup be alive still by then..
@ superBul:
dink ook so superbul en dink die cheetahs gaan ook die wp n skrik gee
33@ Durban Bulle:
Ek is bly man…. ons is ouens hier waar ons woord so goed soos goud is….
Miskien moet ek ‘n trippie beplan, vir flippen SuperBul gaan kuier oor daardie tyd, ek is moeg man, werk my mielie poer in sy moer.
36@ Durban Bulle:
Ek sal ook 21 Aug daar wees, dis verseker.
@ grootblousmile:
ja sal nice wees as die twee van julle n draai kan maak dat ons n bier of 5 kan af gooi
@ Durban Bulle:
37
Cheetahs gaan wen as Juan fiks is en kaptein speel. Hoor my lied.
@ grootblousmile:
gaan dit nie vir die wereld mis nie..90 000+ bok fans…..ons sal die ronde bal manne wys wat is gees
@ superBul:
ek sing saam…lol
Ek en my Handbriekie beplan ‘n trippie einde September… wil af vlieg na George, daar ‘n tjor huur en toer op met die Tuinroete…. Wilderness, Sedgfield Knysna, Tsitsikama, Oesterbaai, PE…. en van daar Grahamstad, Clarens… huistoe.
@ Durban Bulle:
40
is die 9de n maandag, ons moet mekaar mail. GBS jy moet kom. Ek het Snoek die naweek ontmoet , n moerse nice ou en sal beslis weer die man wil sien.
Blouste maak nou amper klaar hier en ons sal dalk nog so kuier of 2 inkry
@ superBul:
yep 100% maar n vakansie dag…ek is daar die 9 en 10 Aug…9 Aug is my b-day kan nie aan n beter plek dink nie!!!
@ grootblousmile:
Wow klink awesome… jy moet geniet
Ek sal graag weer n wedstryd , in enige sport kyk waar die skare deur die ebs en flow van die game cheer oooooe ahhhhh ens, nou is dit net die vuvuzelas. Dis nou genoeg. Sien oral ban hulle die ding nou.
Ek hou van die beskrywing dat dit klink soos “angry bees”
Ek is bang om vir SuperBul te gaan kuier, netnou gaan my lewer in ‘n afsonderlike pakkie huistoe… hehehehe
@ grootblousmile:
oh ne waarsku jy my nou gbs?
@ grootblousmile:
myne is nou goed ingeoefen hahaha
50@ Durban Bulle:
Pasop!!
SuperBul en Blouste drink nie….. hulle SUIPPPPPPPPPPPP!!
Ek gaan darem voor julle almal weer n lekker naweek in die bos he. Ry net na die AB toets na Kambaku vir die naweek
@ grootblousmile:
hey daai is net n rumor
53@ superBul:
Fok jou…. hehehe
Jinne, Handbriekie is ook op verlof nou, 2 freegin weke lank… sy moet verlof vat want sy het te veel opgeboude verlof.. iets soos 54 dae opgebou.
Spanje is nou behoorlik omgesukkel…
Jis Germany het nou die jail gebreek , wat n ontsnaping, moer hier is moeilikheid
Super, Germany just hanging on here. Spain is all over them.
@ Puma:
58
i see that, they miss Muller
Spain all over Germany but getting nothing for it. Still zero each.
Thought that was a penalty for Spain there. Thought the German player tripped him up. Not sure but looked that way to me.
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