Philipp Lahm celebrates Germany's opening goal
Cathal Groome
Sports Writer
Germany 4 – 2 Greece
The Greek went like lambs (or Lahm’s as the case may be) to the slaughter. This match had more to it than this, however with large fiscal overtones accompanying the match. The Greek public had hoped that their team would pull off a huge upset, especially as it was Germany, the nation which has been at the forefront of imposing such severe austerity measures in Greece. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, deemed a lucky charm for the football team was in attendance, a symbol of hatred for the Greek people. However the complete control that Germany had over Greece off the pitch was mirrored by a dominant display on it with the score line flattering the plucky Greeks.
Even before the match Greece were weakened with inspirational captain Giorgos Karagounis was suspended for a yellow in the match against Russia; for a dive when in fact he was blatantly fouled. However, even he would have been unable to help stop the rampant Germans who dominated throughout. Germany had started with a completely different front three with Gomez, Podolski and Muller being replaced by the evergreen Klose, Reus and Schurrle. However such is the nature of the German style they all fitted in seamlessly to the formation. Reus in particular was exciting, causing the Greek defence problems with his quick movement and incisive runs, and were it not for poor finishing and decent goalkeeping from Sifakis in the Greek goal he would have scored. Schurrle on the opposite wing although quite wasteful in possession went close with a few long range strikes, cutting in on his right foot.
However the infamous Greek defence, built around the extremely promising centre-half Papadopoulos, kept the attackers at bay. It fell therefore to a defender to open the scoring, and Philipp Lahm duly obliged with a fine swerving shot from twenty yards which flew past the outstretched hand of Sifakis. Greece offered virtually noting going forward with Salpingidis finding himself all too isolated when he got the ball.
After the break it was thought that with Greece having to attack, the Germans would find it easier to break them down, and that they would cruise through the rest of the match. Nobody accounted for Greece equalising though. The disappointing Schurrle again gave the ball away and Greece broke quickly with Salpingidis putting in the perfect cross for Samaras to convert at the back post. This goal stunned the German fans but importantly the players kept their heads and minutes later they retook the lead through a terrific strike from Sami Khedira. After some neat interplay, Boateng was left with far too much time out on the wing to cross in and the ball was met emphatically by the foot of Khedira who struck the volley high into the net.
This goal so soon after the equaliser seemed to kill off the belief of the Greeks and the Germans soon extended the score. This time it was Miroslav Klose who headed in a trademark goal as he rose up to meet a corner above a defender and the floundering keeper Sifakis. This marked his sixty-fourth goal in one hundred and twenty appearances for the German side, a truly stunning record. His general play defied his age as the German team perhaps looked better for having him in the team rather than Gomez ,as his general play around the park was superior to that of Gomez. The German coach Joachim Low certainly has a tough decision to make in relation to the two players for the semi-final.
It was fitting however that the scoring for Germany was rounded off by the youth represented by Reus, as he struck in a sweet volley off the underside of the bar after a good save from Sifakis rebounded to him. Greece did grab a consolation but in truth it seemed that the referee felt sympathy for them in awarding the softest of penalties. A cross hit the arm of Boateng who had his back to the ball and his hand down by his side when the ball hit it. One could only imagine that if the game had been tighter that the penalty would not have been awarded but no one could begrudge the Greeks this consolation. Despite going out to the Germans they can be proud of their display in the tournament and to qualify from their group was in itself a success, if not very lucky. The Germans march on to the semi-final with the ultimate goal of being named the best in Europe very much in their mind.
