Germany Rallies Past France In Paris

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After conceding a goal to the home side just before the halftime whistle, the visitors emerged from the locker room unfazed and promptly equalized within six minutes of the restart before firing a winner with a little over a quarter hour to play as GERMANY rallied past FRANCE 2-1 in Paris and, in the process, registered a first triumph against their traditional neighboring rivals to the west in more than a quarter century.

The French had been enjoying a six-game unbeaten streak in that time span, highlighted by five wins against German opposition including a 2-1 victory in Bremen almost twelve months ago. In fact, national reunification had not yet even occured in August of 1987 when France lost to West Germany 2-1 in front of 31,000 spectators at the Olympiastadion in what was then still a divided West Berlin. The last time Les Bleus lost on home soil in this sometimes heated rivalry happened when the visiting Germans beat France 3-1 before a crowd of 45,000 supporters at the Stade de Colombes in Paris in March of 1935.

It looked as if French dominance might continue at the Stade de Paris when Olympique Marseille winger MATHIEU VALBUENA headed home his fourth international goal for France in the 44th minute of the friendly with Germany. A vicious free kick from KARIM BENZEMA, the Real Madrid striker who has only scored five goals in 18 La Liga matches this season after registering 21 goals in 34 top flight contests for Los Blancos last term, beat goalkeeper RENE ADLER of Hamburg SV, the 28-year-old former Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper who was making his 11th appearance for Deutschland, but smashed off the crossbar. MOUSSA SISSOKO of English Premier League club Newcastle United, however, managed to nod the rebound forward for the opportunistic Valbuena.

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Bayern Munich striker MARIO GOMEZ, the 27-year-old who has already scored 25 goals for the senior national team of Germany, made his first appearance for his country since the disappointing loss to Italy at the semifinal hurdle of the 2012 UEFA European Championships this past summer.

But it was yet another strike from the in-form THOMAS MUELLER, the 23-year-old winger who has bagged 11 goals for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season, that brought Germany level in the 51st minute. Borussia Dortmund midfielder ILKAY GUENDOGAN, the 22-year-old who also started Germany’s last match of 2012 against neighboring Holland, made a strong play in the tackle and then played an outstanding ball into space for the leading scorer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament in South Africa. A rising shot easily found the back of the net and gave Mueller his 11th career goal for Germany.

Germany’s Real Madrid connection combined to silence the patriotic French supporters at the Stade de Paris in the 74th minute. A surgical return ball into the penalty box from the magical MESUT OEZIL for La Liga teammate SAMI KHEDIRA left France goalkeeper HUGO LLORIS of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur of London in a very difficult position. And, a swerving finish with the outside of the right foot by Khedira made sure the netminder who transferred from Olympique Lyon for a base fee of 10.0 million Euros this past August had absolutely no chance whatsoever.

FRANCK RIBERY of traditional German powerhouse Bayern Munich had one last big chance inside the area for the home side but recalled Germany goalkeeper RENE ADLER of SV Hamburg, who previous appearance for the Nationalelf was in a goalless draw with Sweden back in November of 2010, made a fine save to halt the fabulous French winger.

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France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY (7) of record German champion Bayern Munich, the talented 29-year who has scored 47 goals in the Bundesliga for the Bavarians since a 25.0 million Euro transfer from Olympique Marseille in June of 2007, runs away from professional club teammate and Germany captain PHILIPP LAHM (16) during the exciting international friendly at the Stade de Paris in “La Ville-Lumiere”.
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FRANCE
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goal — Hugo LLORIS (Tottenham Hotspur – Eng/ 44 caps)

defense — Bacary SAGNA (FC Arsenal – Eng / 33 caps, 0 go), Abdil RAMI (FC Valencia – Spa / 25 caps, 1 go), Mamadou SAKHO (Paris St. Germain / 12 caps, 0 go), Patrice EVRA (Manchester United – Eng / 48 caps, 0 go)

midfield — Yohan CABAYE (Newcastle United – Eng / 20 caps, 1 go), Blaise MATUIDI (Paris St. Germain / 10 caps, 0 go), Moussa SISSOKO (Newcastle United – Eng / 7 caps, 0 go)

attack — Mathieu VALBUENA (Olympique Marseille / 19 caps, 4 go), Karim BENZEMA (Real Madrid – Spa / 55 caps, 15 go), Franck RIBERY (Bayern Munich – Ger / 71 caps, 11 go)

substitutes
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DF – Laurent KOSCIELNY (FC Arsenal – Eng / 8 caps)
for Sagna – 46th min
MF – Etienne CAPOUE (FC Toulouse / 5 caps, 1 go)
for Matuidi – 46th min
FW – Olivier GIROUD (FC Arsenal / 16 caps, 2 go)
for Sissoko – 80th min
FW – Jeremy MENEZ (Paris St. Germain / 22 caps, 2 go)
for Valbuena – 86th min

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GERMANY
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goal — Rene ADLER (SV Hamburg / 11 caps)

defense — Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 96 caps, 5 go), Per MERTESACKER (FC Arsenal – Eng / 86 caps, 2 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 24 caps, 1 go), Benedikt HOEWEDES (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 11 caps, 1 go)

def midfield — Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 37 caps, 3 go), Ilkay GUENDOGAN (Borussia Dortmund / 5 caps, 0 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 39 caps, 11 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 44 caps, 14 go), Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 107 caps, 44 go)

striker — Mario GOMEZ (Bayern Munich / 58 caps, 25 go)

substitutes
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MF – Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 35 caps, 4 go)
for Gomez – 57th min
MF – Andre SCHUERRLE (Bayer Leverkusen / 21 caps, 7 go)
for Podolski – 68th min
MF – Lars BENDER (Bayer Leverkusen / 12 caps, 1 go)
for Mueller – 89th min

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Germany Grind Out Goalless Friendly With Holland In Amsterdam

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Normally teammates in the professional football ranks with record Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich, Holland winger ARJEN ROBBEN (11) races after the ball with Germany captain PHILIPP LAHM (16) during the scoreless and unspectacular international friendly match witnessed by 51,000 spectators at the Amsterdam Arena in Holland.
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With national teams both minus the services of several ‘big-name’ players, it probably should have come as no great surprise, then, that traditional neighboring rivals GERMANY and the NETHERLANDS ground out a 0-0 draw in an international friendly that was criticized by many for its dull and uninspiring football.

This match was, of course, the last international contest of the 2012 calendar year for Germany, who defeated their long-time nemesis next door from the Netherlands 2-1 at the group stage of the UEFA European Championships final tournament earlier this summer.

Holland, who are now managed by former Bayern Munich trainer LOUIS VAN GAAL, were without injured striker ROBIN VAN PERSIE of English Premier League club FC Arsenal of London. Overlooked for the friendly with Germany by van Gaal was experienced target man KLAAS JAN HUNTELAAR, the Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen striker who led the German top flight with 29 goals in 32 Bundesliga matches last term. Selected as the central striker at the Amsterdam Arena, then, was veteran DIRK KUYT, the 32-year-old approaching the century mark of caps for Holland who just left FC Liverpool after six seasons in England to sign with Turkish club SK Fenerbahce Istanbul for the special transfer rate of 1.0 million Euros.

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Trainer JUERGEN LOEW, meanwhile, decided not to field a ‘natural’ central striker at all in his Startelf against Holland at the Amsterdam Arena. Instead, the German tactician chose to rotate four players — MARIO GOETZE of Borussia Dortmund, LEWIS HOLTBY of Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, MARCO REUS of Borussia Dortmund and Thomas MUELLER of BAYERN MUNICH — up front all throughout the course of the international match. The idea behind the strategy, of course, was to, hopefully, create confusion for the Dutch markig system.

Germany midfielder ILKAY GUENDOGAN of two-time defending Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund was unlucky not to register his first international goal shortly before the halftime break but Holland defender JOHN HEITINGA of English Premier League club FC Everton was able to clear the line.

Germany goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich made a confident save to turn a rocket from Holland substitute defender DARRYL JANMAAT of Feyenoord Rotterdam over the crossbar in the second half and preserve the shutout at the other end of the pitch; the Netherlands might have snatched a winner not so long afterwards, but substitute winger ELJERO ELIA of German side Werder Bremen, the former SV Hamburg and 2010 Holland World Cup winger back in the Bundesliga this season after a wasted term with Italian Serie A giant FC Juventus of Turin, blasted well over.

Germany winger MARCO REUS could have settled the issue late but, as the Borussia Dortmund summer signing had done towards the end of the first half, did not get his shot on target.

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Holland goalkeeper KENNETH VERMEER (1) of Ajax Amsterdam celebrated his senior international debut for the Netherlands national team by not only starting the prestige friendly against traditional powerhouse Germany but finishing the match at the Amsterdam Arena with a clean sheet, as well.
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HOLLAND
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goal — Kenneth VERMEER (Ajax Amsterdam / 1 cap)

defense — Ricardo VAN RHIJN (Ajax Amsterdam / 5 caps, 0 go), John HEITINGA (FC Everton – Eng / 85 caps, 7 go), Ron VLAAR (FC Aston Villa – Eng / 14 caps, 1 go), Bruno MARTINS INDI (Feyenoord Rotterdam / 6 caps, 2 go)

def midfield — Nigel DE JONG (AC Milan – Ita / 67 caps, 1 go), Rafael VAN DER VAART (SV Hamburg – Ger / 103 caps, 21 go)

att midfield — Ruben SCHAKEN (Feyenoord Rotterdam / 2 caps, 1 go), Ibrahim AFFELAY (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen – Ger / 44 caps, 5 go), Arjen ROBBEN (Bayern Munich – Ger / 63 caps, 17 go)

striker — Dirk KUYT (SK Fenerbahce Istanbul – Trk / 92 caps, 24 go)

substitutes
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DF – Daryl JANMAAT (Feyenoord Rotterdam / 3 caps, 0 go)
for van Rhijn – 46th min
DF – Stefan DE VRIJ (Feyenoord Rotterdam / 2 caps, 0 go)
for Heitinga – 46th min
MF – Eljero ELIA (Werder Bremen – Ger / 28 caps, 2 go)
for Robben – 46th min
MF – Marco VAN GINKEL (FC Vitesse Arnhem / 1 cap, 0 go)
for Affelay – 59th min
MF – Urby EMANUELSSON (AC Milan / 16 caps, 0 go)
for van der Vaart – 72nd min

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The Startelf for DEUTSCHLAND, with a genuine central striker conspicuously absent from trainer JUERGEN LOEW’s line-up, pause for the traditional team photograph just prior to the start of the international friendly match with the national team of the neighboring Netherlands at the Amsterdam Arena.
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GERMANY
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goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 36 caps)

defense — Benedikt HOEWEDES (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 10 caps, 1 go), Per MERTESACKER (FC Arsenal – Eng / 85 caps, 2 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 23 caps, 1 go), Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 95 caps, 5 go)

def midfield — Lars BENDER (Bayer Leverkusen / 11 caps, 1 go), Ilkay GUENDOGAN (Borussia Dortmund / 4 caps, 0 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 38 caps, 10 go), Lewis HOLTBY (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 3 caps, 0 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 14 caps, 5 go)

striker — Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 20 caps, 3 go)

substitutes
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MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 106 caps, 44 go)
for Goetze – 72nd min
MF – Sven BENDER (Borussia Dortmund / 3 caps, 0 go)
for L. Bender – 83rd min
MF – Andre SCHUERRLE (Bayer Leverkusen / 20 caps, 7 go)
for Mueller – 84th min
MF – Roman NEUSTAEDTER (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 1 cap, 0 go)
for Holtby – 87th min
MF – Julian DRAXLER (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 3 caps, 0 go)
for Reus – 90th +2 min

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WCQ – Sweden Rallies For Shock Draw With Germans In Berlin

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Germany winger MARCO REUS (21) of defending German champion Borussia Dortmund runs past Sweden right back MIKAEL LUSTIG (2) of reigning Scottish king Glasgow Celtic during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match at the Berliner Olympiastadion in the national capital city.
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It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. And when it was all over in Berlin — as indicated by one German publication with its piece, “Die Fussball-Welt Lacht Ueber Deutschland” — the football world laughed at Germany while the former English interntional legend and current BBC presenter Gary Lineker hastily re-evaluated his famous and oft-stated Philosophy of Inevitability.

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GERMANY
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goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 35 caps)

defense — Jerome BOATENG (Bayern Munich / 28 caps, 0 go), Per MERTESACKER (FC Arsenal – Eng / 84 caps, 2 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 30 caps, 1 go), Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 94 caps, 5 go)

def midfield — Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 34 caps, 4 go), Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (Bayern Munich / 97 caps, 23 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 37 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 43 caps, 14 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 13 caps, 5 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 126 caps, 67 go)

substitutes
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MF – Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 19 caps, 3 go)
for Mueller – 67th min
MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 105 caps, 44 go)
for Reus – 88th min

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SWEDEN
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goal — Andreas ISAKSSON (Kasimpasaspor – Trk / 101 caps)

defense — Mikael LUSTIG (Glasgow Celtic – Sct / 30 caps, 2 go), Andreas GRANQVIST (FC Genoa – Ita / 26 caps, 2 go), Jonas OLSSON (West Bromwich Albion – Eng / 15 caps, 0 go), Behreng SAFARI (RSC Anderlecht – Bel / 28 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Pontus WERNBLOM (CSKA Moscow – Rus / 29 caps, 2 go), Rasmus ELM (CSKA Moscow – Rus / 30 caps, 3 go)

att midfield — Sebastian LARSSON (FC Sunderland – Eng / 49 caps, 6 go), Zlatko IBRAHIMOVIC (Paris St. Germain – Fra / 84 caps, 35 go), Samuel HOLMEN (Istanbul B.B. – Trk / 31 caps, 2 go)

striker – Johan ELMANDER (Galatasaray Istanbul – Trk / 68 caps, 18 go)

substitutes
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MF – Kim KALLSTROM (Spartak Moscow – Rus / 97 caps, 16 go)
for Wernblom – 46th min
MF – Alexander KACANIKLIC (Fulham Athletic – Eng / 3 caps, 1 go)
for Holmen – 46th min
MF – Tobias SANA (Ajax Amsterdam / 1 cap, 0 go)
for Larsson – 78th min

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World Cup Qualifying – Germany Drubs Ireland At Lansdowne Road

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Germany winger MARCO REUS (21), the emerging 23-year-old who scored 18 goals in 32 Bundesliga games for Borussia Monechengladbach last term and has already tallied four goals in his first seven league contests for Borussia Dortmund this season following a transfer which cost 17.1 million Euros in the summer, runs away from Ireland midfielder JAMES MCCARTHY (6) of English Premier League club Wigan Athletic during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 match watched by 51,700 spectators at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
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An offensive onslaught of five goals inside the middle half an hour of the match proved entirely too much for the home side to handle as visiting GERMANY stormed to an impressive 6-1 victory over IRELAND in a Group 3 qualification match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Trainer JUERGEN LOEW’s heretofore sluggish side rolled to a third consecutive triumph in the bid to book a ticket to South America two summers from now. Meanwhile, the Irish, who were missing several key players from the team which competed at the 2012 UEFA European Championships in Eastern Europe earlier this summer and fielding an extremely inexpereinced international side at Lansdowne Road, slumped to a record-tying defeat on home soil. Ireland were actually playing as the “Irish Free State” 71 years ago when blanked 5-0 by visiting Spain in Dublin.

Exciting winger MARCO REUS kicked off what would be an extended Torblitz with a stunning goal from a spectacular individual effort in the 32nd minute and then, five minutes before the halftime break, added a second strike, his fifth goal on his twelfth appearance for Germany, with a left-footed laser after taking an accurate pass from Bayern Munich right back JEROME BOATENG.

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Bayern Munich midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER (7), the 28-year-old who his nearing the century mark in appearances for Deutschland, stood in for his Bundesliga teammate Philipp Lahm and served as captain of the national team for the record-tying World Cup qualification match with Ireland at Landsdowne Road in Dublin.
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Germany continued after the restart right where it had left off as central attacking midfielder MESUT OEZIL, the Spanish legionnaire in his third season with La Liga giant Real Madrid now, scored from the penalty spot in the 55th minute; aging striker MIROSLAV KLOSE of Italian Serie A side SS Lazio of Rome had been taken down in the box by Ireland defender DARREN O’DEA, the 25-year-old who plays his professional football in North America for FC Toronto of Major League Soccer.

Klose quickly found the back of the net, himself, in the 58th minute after latching onto a handsome ball into space by BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, the Bayern Munich midfielder who was wearing the captain’s armband for Germany in the World Cup qualifier with Ireland. The 34-year-old striker did need to step around the Ireland goalkeeper and slot home from a very sharp angle, too. An impressive 65th career international goal for Grandfather Klockwork Klose, then, who is doggedly STILL chasing the Germany national team record held by the legendary GERD “der Bomber” MUELLER.

Second half substitute TONI KROOS, the Bayern Munich midfielder sent on after the break in relief of Spanish legionnaire SAMI KHEDIRA of Real Madrid, scored the first of his two goals in the 61st minute with a very opportunisitic, left-footed volley and grabbed the other with a right-footed rocket from about 20 yards out in the 83rd minute.

Germany first choice MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich lost his shutout when Ireland added a late consolation goal by second half substitute ANDY KEOGH, the 26-year-old striker from English second division side FC Millwall of London, in injury time off of a corner kick but it was entirely too little, too late.

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Germany winger THOMAS MUELLER (13) of Bayern Munich, the 23-year-old who has started off the 2012/13 Bundesliga season well with four goals and six assists in his first six matches, endures a high elbow from Ireland winger AIDEN MCGEADY (7), the 26-year-old who was bought by Russian club Spartak Moscow from Scottish side Glasgow Celtic for a transfer fee of 9.5 million English pounds in August of 2010, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
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A particularly tough game for Ireland’s new first choice KIEREN WESTWOOD, then — EVERY shot that the Germans got on target in the World Cup qualifying match at Landsdowne Road eluded the 27-year-old goalkeeper who sits the bench behind Belgium international SIMON MIGNOLET for English Premier League outfit FC Sunderland.

It should also be noted that it is not often that any given player is able to score a goal with both a left foot and a right foot in any given single football match, let alone a World Cup qualifier, itself. On this memorable night in Dublin, the Germans had not one, but two players, MARCO REUS and TONI KROOS accomplish this feat. Considering the youthful age of both, this achievement certainly seems to signal a bright future for the national team of Deutschland.

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IRELAND
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goal — Kieran WESTWOOD (FC Sunderland – Eng / 13 caps)

defense — Seamus COLEMAN (FC Everton – Eng / 7 caps, 0 go), John O’SHEA (FC Sunderland – Eng / 82 caps, 1 go), Darren O’DEA (FC Toronto – MLS / 17 caps, 0 go), Stephen WARD (FC Wolverhampton – Eng / 17 caps, 2 go)

def midfield — James MCCARTHY (Wigan Athletic – Eng / 7 caps, 0 go), Keith ANDREWS (Bolton Wanderers – Eng / 33 caps, 3 go), Keith FAHEY (Birmingham City – Eng / 16 caps, 3 go)

att midfield — Aiden MCGEADY (Spartak Moscow – Rus / 56 caps, 2 go), SIMON COX (Nottingham Forrest – Eng / 19 caps, 3 go)

striker — Jon WALTERS (Stoke City – Eng / 13 caps, 1 go)

substitutes
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FW – Shane LONG (West Bromwich Albion – Eng / 30 caps, 8 go)
for Fahey – 52nd min
FW – Andy KEOGH (FC Millwall – Eng / 25 caps, 2 go)
for McGeady – 69th min
MF – Robbie BRADY (Manchester United – Eng / 2 caps, 1 go)
for Cox – 84th min

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GERMANY
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goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 34 caps)

defense — Jerome BOATENG (Bayern Munich / 27 caps, 0 go), Per MERTESACKER (FC Arsenal – Eng / 83 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 29 caps, 1 go), Marcel SCHMELZER (Borussia Dortmund / 9 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 36 caps, 2 go), Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (Bayern Munich / 96 caps, 23 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 36 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 42 caps, 13 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 12 caps, 5 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 125 caps, 65 go)

substitutes
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MF – Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 33 caps, 4 go)
for Khedira – 46th min
MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 104 caps, 44 go)
for Reus – 66th min
MF – Andre SCHUERRLE (Bayer Leverkusen / 19 caps, 7 go)
for Klose – 72nd min

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Austria Gifts Germany All Three World Cup Qualifying Points

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Germany midfielder SAMI KHEDIRA (6) of Spanish La Liga champion Real Madrid, the 25-year-old former Vfb Stuttgart defensive specialist who came under fire earlier this summer for publically justifying his refusal to sing the national anthem prior to an international contest, seeks to disposses Austria midfielder ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ (6) of German Bundesliga FSV 05 Mainz during the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna.
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A pair of goals within eight minutes of one another on either side of the halftime whistle proved to be enough for the visitors but the hosts were extremely unfortunate not to earn a share of the spoils for themselves as GERMANY fending off late-charging AUSTRIA 2-1 in the entertaining Group 3 qualification match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be held in Brazil.

Attacker MARTIN HARNIK, who shot 17 goals for Swabian club Vfb Stuttgart in the German top flight last term and was a consistent threat to the visitors in the first half, had a great chance to give Austria the early lead against a Germany national team which has defeated its southeastern Alpine neighbors seven times in succession after central defender MATS HUMMEL of two-time defending German Bundesliga titlist Borussia Dortmund had given the ball away cheaply but the 25-year-old could not find the target.

Bayern Munich winger THOMAS MUELLER, the leading scorer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup final tournament in South Africa who is only days away from his 23rd birthday, generated a shot that was turned away by Austria first choice ROBERT ALMER of newly-promoted German Bundesliga outfit Fortuna Duesseldorf in the tenth minute and, roughly another ten minutes on, had a very dangerous header that the diving Pink Panther did rather well to push around his right-hand post.

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Austria goalkeeper ROBERT ALMER (1) of newly-promoted German Bundesliga side Fortuna Duesseldorf, forever known as the Pink Panther here at this blog for his efforts with FK Austria Vienna in the always-exciting Wiener Derby, turns away Germany winger THOMAS MUELLER of Bayern Munich during the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna.
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The most experienced player in the Austrian line-up, midfielder ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ of German Bundesliga side FSV 05 Mainz, had a good opportunity but his effort was challenged by Bayern Munich defender HOLGER BADSTUBER and ultimately blooped up and over both Germany goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich as well as the far post with five minutes remaining in the closely-contested first half.

Shortly thereafter, the Germans netted to instantly deflate most of the 47,000 spectators on hand at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion. A fine ball into space from veteran striker MIROSLAV KLOSE of Italian Serie A side SS Lazio of Rome, the aging 34-year-old who otherwise made little impression in this World Cup tie with neighboring Austria, afforded emerging Borussia Dortmund winger MARCO REUS a run into the penalty area. The desperate Almer did get a hand to the low, pinpoint laser but could not prevent Germany from assuming the 1-0 lead in the 44th minute.

A third goal on an eleven appearance in the colors of Deutschland, then, for Reus, the emerging offensive threat for whom the reigning two-time defending Bundesliga champions paid a reported 17.1 million Euros to Borussia Moenchengladbach this off-season summer to acquire.

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The Germans doubled their advantage just seven minutes into the second half when the menacing Mueller was illegally treated in the penalty area by midfielder VELI KAVLAK of Turkish side AS Trabzonspor. Real Madrid legionnaire MESUT OEZIL, who got his name on the scoresheet twice last Friday in a 3-0 triumph over the Faroe Islands that started Germany’s World Cup march to Brazil, slotted home with a world-class spot kick into the side netting. The unlucky Almer, it should be noted, guessed correctly and gave it his all with a full stretch.

The underdog Austrians might have elected to pack up the tent early against a country they have defeated exactly twice in the past eighty or so years but this certainly did not prove to be the case as a courageous counterattack quickly ensued and would be sustained until the very end.

Winger MARKO ARNAUTOVIC, who was bought by Werder Bremen from Dutch club FC Twente Enschede for a transfer fee of 6.5 million Euros in the summer of 2010, soon wriggled free into the box on the right and produced a driven cross that on-rushing German Bundesliga teammate ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC, the midfielder who was signed by die Werderaner from FK Austria Vienna for a fee of 800,000 Euros during the Winterpause last term, was able to re-direct past Neuer and delight the home fans in the 57th minute.

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Only time can tell how much the memorable miss of unfortunate winger MARKO ARNAUTOVIC (7), the one-time Inter Milan attacker who managed six goals in 19 Bundesliga contests for German club Werder Bremen last season, late in the match with Germany at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna and the subsequent loss of an almost certain point in the Group 3 standings will actually damage the Austrian effort to qualify for the FIFA World Cup final tournament to be hosted by Brazil in the summer of 2014.
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The Germans typically began to eat up chunks of time thereafter by playing a bit of keep away for a good spell but an energized Austria continued to hang in.

It looked as if Arnautovic, all alone at the far post, would surely score at close range following a cross from the left delivered by substitute JAKOB JANTSCHER of Russian club Dynamo Moscow with only a couple of minutes remaining until the final whistle … but the ball conspired to cruelly hit a bump in the pitch at the very last moment and screwed horribly wide off of the snake-bit shin of the 23-year-old Austrian winger, much to the relief of the exceptionally fortunate goalkeeper Neuer and the rest of his German constituents.

Arnautovic, who spent the entire 2009/10 campaign out on loan with the Italian Serie A side Inter Milan that eventually claimed the coveted UEFA Champions League crown that season, also had one late attempt to level for Austria but directed his shot straight at the former Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen and current Bayern Munich goalkeeper making his 33rd career appearance for Germany.

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The AUSTRIA national team poses for the traditional team photograph just prior to kick-off with Germany in the FIFA World Cup qualification match at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna :

back row (left to right) — Almer, Arnautovic, Pogatetz, Proedl, capt Fuchs, Ivanschitz
front row (left to right) — Garics, Kavlak, Baumgartlinger, Harnik, Junuzovic
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AUSTRIA
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goal — Robert ALMER (Fortuna Duesseldorf – Ger / 4 caps)

defense — Gyorgi GARICS (FC Bologna – Ita / 28 caps, 1 go), Emanuel POGATETZ (Vfl Wolfsburg – Ger / 49 caps, 2 go), Sebastien PROEDL (Werder Bremen – Ger / 35 caps, 3 go), Christian FUCHS (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen – Ger / 49 caps, 1 go)

def midfield — Julian BAUMGARTLINGER (FSV 05 Mainz – Ger / 23 caps, 0 go), Veli KAVLAK (JK Beskitas Istanbul – Turk / 19 caps, 1 go)

att midfield — Andreas IVANSCHITZ (FSV 05 Mainz – Ger / 57 caps, 10 go), Zlatko JUNUZOVIC (Werder Bremen – Ger / 21 caps, 3 go), Marko ARNAUTOVIC (Werder Bremen – Ger / 20 caps, 7 go)

striker — Martin HARNIK (Vfb Stuttgart – Ger / 31 caps, 7 go)

substitutes
——————
FW – Gudio BURGSTALLER (SK Rapid Vienna / 5 caps, 0 go)
for Harnik – 55th min
MF – Jakob JANTSCHER (Dynamo Moscow – Rus / 11 caps, 1 go)
for Ivanschitz – 75th min
FW – Marc JANKO (AS Trabzonspor – Turk / 28 caps, 11 go)
for Baumgartlinger – 85th min

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The Startelf for the national team of GERMANY pauses a moment for the traditional team photography just ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Group 3 qualification match with Austria at the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna :

back row (left to right) — Badstuber, Neuer, Klose, Kroos, Hummels, Khedira

front row (left to right) — capt Lahm, Schmelzer, Mueller, Reus, Oezil
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GERMANY
=========

goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 33 caps)

defense — Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 93 caps, 5 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 22 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 28 caps, 1 go), Marcel SCHMELZER (Borussia Dortmund / 8 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 32 caps, 2 go), Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 35 caps, 2 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 35 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 41 caps, 12 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 11 caps, 3 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 124 caps, 64 go)

substitutes
——————
MF – Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 18 caps, 3 go)
for Reus – 46th min
MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 103 caps, 44 go)
for Klose – 75th min

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Austria v Germany : Never Very Much Of A Border Battle

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West Germany striker KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE of Bayern Munich attempts to avoid the challenge of Austria defender HERIBERT WEBER (19) of SK Rapid Vienna while Austria defender JOSEF DEGEORGI (4) of FC Admira Wacker Vienna and West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH (9) of SV Hamburg watch during the important 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Estadio Municipal El Molinon stadion in Gijon, Spain.
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The neighboring Alpine nations of AUSTRIA and GERMANY will meet for the 38th time in football history this Tuesday as the qualification matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Brazil continue to unfold as evidenced by Group 3 encounter at the Ernst Happel Stadion (the old Praterstadion) in the cultured city of Vienna.

Although many top Austrians players have always and certainly continue to ply their trade professionally on the other side of the border with Germany, the football “rivalry” between the two countries that speak a common language has been rather one-sided, to be polite, for the last 80 years or so.

Austria had been in charge with six victories in the first nine matches of a series which had originated in 1908 but the large 5-0 triumph over Germany on the strength of a hat trick from the legendary MATTHIAS SINDELAR in front of 50,000 spectators at the old Praterstadion in Vienna on September 14, 1931, marked the end of the positive era from the Austrian perspective.

Germany defeated Austria 3-2 to claim third place at the 1934 FIFA World Cup hosted by Italy in the only other meeting before the notorious Anschluss four years later and has not looked back on the football pitch ever since. Indeed, the dominant Germans have won 21 and while losing just twice in the last 28 official international matches with their Austrian counterparts. Germany have not lost since its reunification while it was back in 1986 that Austria last triumphed in this always-interesting border battle.

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No fewer than nine of Austria’s 23-man squad for the World Cup qualifier with Germany are currently employed by German Bundesliga clubs. Many are expected to appear in the Startelf for trainer MARCEL KOLLER, the long-time Grasshopper Club Zurich midfielder who earned 56 caps (three goals) for Switzerland in his playing career. Goalkeeper ROBERT ALMER (forever the old Pink Panther of Vienna Derby fame here at this blog) of newly-promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf is slated to start between the sticks with left back CHRISTIAN FUCHS of Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen as well as central defenders EMANUEL POGATETZ of Vfl Wolfsburg and SEBASTIAN PRODL of Werder Bremen all featuring on the backline for Austria.

Both Fuchs and Pogatetz are among two of the most experienced players on Koller’s squad having accumulated 48 international caps each.

The midfield of Oesterreich could see many faces familiar to German Bundesliga fans including winger MARTIN HARNIK of Vfb Stuttgart, who tallied 17 times in the German top flight last term and only just last week scored a spectacular goal with a superb volley against traditional giant Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Also in the center of the park there is the FSV 05 Mainz pair of JULIAN BAUMGARTLINGER and seasoned ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ, the 28-year-old with 56 caps (10 goals) who netted a penalty in Austria’s last international match, the 2-0 triumph over Turkey in mid-August. Werder Bremen midfielder ZLATKO JUNUZOVIC could very well come off the bench, as well.

Striker MARKO ARNAUTOVIC, the 23-year-old who has totaled nine goals in 46 Bundesliga games for Werder Bremen all told since transferring from Italian Serie A side Inter Milan in the summer of 2010, will begin up front for Austria.

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West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH is closely watched by Austria sweeper BRUNO PEZZEY (5) of German club Eintracht Frankfurt, the stalwart defender who won the old UEFA Cup title with the Hessians in 1980 and ultimately made 255 Bundesliga appearances in his career including later time spent with Werder Bremen, during the crucial 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Stadio Municipal El Mulinon in Gijon, Spain.
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The recently well-traveled MARC JANKO of Turkish side AS Trabzonspor, now with his fourth club in as many seasons, will, most likely, partner Arnautovic in the Austrian attack up front. The 29-year-old had been sold by Dutch club FC Twente Enschede to Portguese giant FC Porto for a transfer fee of 5.5 million Euros last winter. But after scoring four goals in 10 league matches for the eventual Portuguese champions last spring, Janko (27 caps, 11 goals) was again transferred this summer for the cut rate of 2.4 million Euros.

The Austrians definitely miss the services of the incapacitated DAVID ALABA, the extremely versatile 20-year-old who had enjoyed such a breakout season in the German Bundesliga for historical powerhouse Bayern Munich and settled into the left back position so nicely last term.

Another valuable Austria international injured most recently is PAUL SCHARNER (40 caps), the flexible, 32-year-old defender/midfielder who just moved this summer to German Bundesliga club SV Hamburg after seven seasons in the English Premier League with Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion.

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West Germany striker HORST HRUBESCH (9), the aerial specialist who had netted the match-winner against Belgium in the Final of the 1980 UEFA European Championships two years earlier, celebrates his early header hammered effectively past Austria goalkeeper FRIEDL KONCILIA (1) of FK Austria Vienna in only the 10th minute of the pivotal 1982 FIFA World Cup, Group 2 match at the Estadio Municipal El Mulinon in Gijon, Spain.

Germany Blanks Faroe Islands To Begin World Cup Qualifying

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Faroe Islands striker JOAN EDMUNDSSON (11) of Danish side FC Federicia, the 21-year-old currently out on loan from Norwegian club FK Viking Stavanger who previously spent two years on the books at English Premier League side Newcastle United, is effectively tracked by Germany defender HOLGER BADSTUBER (14) of traditional domestic powerhouse Bayern Munich during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 Qualification match at the AWD-Arena in Lower Saxony.
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Even after wasting the lions’ share of the numerous chances created, a first half goal from the nation’s brightest prospect and a second half brace from the country’s contemporary midfield maestro enabled lackluster GERMANY to blank the visiting FAROE ISLANDS 3-0 and formally open its 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with the required result in Hannover.

The noteworthy triumph also marked the 500th victory in the long and storied history of Germany’s national football team.

It is to the credit of Faroe Islands goalkeeper GUNNAR NIELSEN that the game did not get completely out of hand in the first half, then. The 25-year-old is out of contract at present after being let go by defending English Premier League champion Manchester City on transfer deadline day and was obviously looking to leave a favorable impression on the international football community with a strong effort for the visitors in the World Cup contest with Germany. Nielsen, who originally signed with Blackburn Rovers in July of 2007 and later made his only Premier League appearance as a substitute for Manchester City in April of 2010, certainly achieved that aim albeit much to the chagrin of the German supporters on hand in Lower Saxony.

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Faroe Islands goalkeeper GUNNAR NIELSEN, only just recently released by reigning English Premier League champion Manchester City on the first of September, makes a sensational, one-handed save to deny talented Germany winger MARCO REUS (21) of defending German Bundesliga titlist Borussia Dortmund in the first half of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 Qualification match at the old Niederschsenstadion in Hannover, Lower Saxony.
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The was nothing that Nielsen could do to prevent the moment of individual brilliance from Germany’s newest rising star in the 28th minute, however. A riveting run into the box and a low, pinpoint drive to the far post saw Borussia Dortmund’s versatile and youthful midfielder MARIO GOETZE register his third career goal for Deutschland. Interestingly enough, the 20-year-old Goetze was deployed alongside Spanish La Liga legionnaire SAMI KHEDIRA of Real Madrid in the defensive midfield by Germany trainer JUERGEN LOEW for the match with the Faroe Islands but had no trouble getting forward and created several quality chances.

MESUT OEZIL, a colleague of Khedira’s in Spain on the roster of current La Liga champion Real Madrid, put the result beyond doubt for host Germany with a pair of well-taken goals in the second half. First, the 23-year-old midfield general both initiated and finished a classic counterattack directly following a failed Faroe Islands corner kick less than ten minutes after the halftime break. Nielsen again had no hope whatsover as Oezil casually side-footed a lovely cross from Bayern Munich’s in-form winger THOMAS MUELLER out on the right and properly celebrated his 40th appearance for the senior national team with a measure of style.

Oezil struck for a second time after taking a smooth feed from new Borussia Dortmund winger MARCO REUS in the box and firing another left-footer past the Faroe Islands shot-stopper to send Germany ahead 3-0 in the 71st minute.

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Germany striker MIROSLAV KLOSE (11) of Italian side SS Lazio of Rome is about to be well tackled by determined Faroe Islands defender ROGVI BALDVINSSON of Norwegian club FK Algard during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group 3 Qualifying match at the AWD-Arena in Hannover … The 34-year-old veteran Torjaeger, who tallied a twelve goals in Serie A last season and already has two more strikes in as many matches for the Roman capital city club early into this 2012/13 term, had a couple of bona fide chances against the visiting islanders but failed to add to his career total of 64 goals for the national team; the out-of-form Klose has managed just one goal (that coming against Greece in the quarterfinal of the UEFA European Championships) upfront on his last ten appearances for Germany.
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GERMANY
=========

goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 32 caps)

defense — Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich / 92 caps, 5 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 21 caps, 1 go), Per MERTESACKER (FC Arsenal – Eng / 82 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 27 caps, 1 go)

def midfield — Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 17 caps, 3 go), Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 34 caps, 2 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 34 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 40 caps, 11 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 10 caps, 2 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 123 caps, 64 go)

substitutes
——————
MF – Andre SCHUERRLE (Bayer Leverkusen / 18 caps, 7 go)
for Mueller – 68th min
MF – Lukas PODOLSKI (FC Arsenal – Eng / 102 caps, 44 go)
for Klose – 75th min
MF – Julian DRAXLER (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 2 caps, 0 go)
for Goetze – 87th min

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Argentina ‘A’ Defeats Ten-Man Germany ‘B’

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Argentina midfielder LIONEL MESSI (10) of Spanish La Liga giant FC Barcelona advances the ball towards the net with Germany midfielder LARS BENDER (16) of Bayer Leverkusen, who scored a late winner for Deutschland after starting at left back against Denmark in the final tournament of the 2012 UEFA European Championships earlier this summer, running just a step behind during the international friendly in front of a sold-out crowd of 48,808 spectators at the historic Waldstadion in the Hessian city of Frankfurt.
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An early injury to a starting defender, a straight red card for the goalkeeper with barely half an hour played and a strange own goal during time added on to the opening forty-five minutes ensured there would be no real football contest on this day as visiting ARGENTINA ran away from host GERMANY 3-1 in an international friendly match.

Still, who is to say what might have been had the long-range shot from winger MARCO REUS of Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund not hit the right post for ten-man Germany in the 50th minute. Of course, it was only two minutes later that FC Barcelona star LIONEL MESSI, who had his penalty well saved by substitute goalkeeper MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN of Borussia Moenchengladbach in the first half, doubled Argentina’s lead, then, before Real Madrid legionnaire ANGEL DI MARIA tacked on a third with a little over a quarter hour to play. Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen defender BENEDIKT HOEWEDES salvaged a measure of pride for the Germans with a sharply-headed strike after outstanding approach-work in the box from Reus and teenage substitute MARIO GOETZE of Borussia Dortmund.

Four prominent national team regulars from traditonal German powerhouse Bayern Munich — goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER, defender PHILIPP LAHM, midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER and striker MARIO GOMEZ — were not in trainer JOACHIM LOEW’s squad for the Argentina exhibition with all but Lahm (whose wife was giving birth to a son) being not fit at present.

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Germany winger MARCO REUS of Borussia Dortmund, the 23-year-old who had scored an impressive 29 goals in the Bundesliga the past two seasons for Borussia Moenchengladbach before transferring to the two-time defending Bundesliga champion summer for the massive fee of 17.1 million Euros this summer, looks to avoid the challenge of Argentina defender EZEQUIEL GARAY (6) of Portuguese side Benfica Lisbon during the international friendly at the venerable Waldstadion in Frankfurt, which originally opened back in 1925.
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GERMANY
=========

goal — Ron Robert ZIELER (Hannover 96 / 2 caps)

defense — Jerome BOATENG (Bayern Munich / 26 caps, 0 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 20 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 26 caps, 1 go), Marcel SCHMELZER (Borussia Dortmund / 7 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Lars BENDER (Bayer Leverkusen / 10 caps, 1 go), Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 33 caps, 2 go)

att midfield — Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 33 caps, 10 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 39 caps, 9 go), Marco REUS (Borussia Dortmund / 9 caps, 2 go)

striker — Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio – Ita / 122 caps, 64 go)

substitutes
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DF – Benedikt HOEWEDES (Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen / 9 caps, 1 go)
for Hummels – 25th min
GK – Marc Andre TER STEGEN (Borussia Moenchengladbach / 2 caps)
for Mueller – 32nd min
MF – Andre SCHUERRLE (Bayer Leverkusen / 17 caps, 7 go)
for Klose – 62nd min
MF – Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 31 caps, 2 go)
for Oezil – 68th min
MF – Ilkay GUENDOGAN (Borussia Dortmund / 3 caps, 0 go)
for Khedira – 68th min
MF – Mario GOETZE (Borussia Dortmund / 16 caps, 2 go)
for Bender – 74th min

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Argentina midfielder JOSE ERNESTO SOSA (8) of Ukrainian club FC Metalist Kharkiv, who spent three seasons on the books at record Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich before being offloaded to Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli last summer, goes to ground in the box after the unsuccessful challenge from Germany goalkeeper RON-ROBERT ZIELER of Hannover 96, the former youth team product of traditional English powerhouse Manchester United who was appearing in the national team shirt for just the second time ever, during the international friendly at the old Waldstadion (officially now titled the Commerzbank Arena) in Frankfurt.
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ARGENTINA
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goal — Sergio ROMERO (Sampdoria Genoa – Ita / 29 caps)

defense — Pablo ZABALETA (Manchester City – Eng / 25 caps, 0 go), Federico FERNANDEZ (SSC Napoli – Ita / 9 caps, 2 go), Ezequiel GARAY (Benfica Lisbon – Port / 7 caps, 0 go), Marcos ROJO (Sporting Lisbon – Port / 10 caps, 0 go)

def midfield — Javier MASCHERANO (FC Barcelona – Spa / 82 caps, 2 go), Fernando GAGO (CF Valencia – Spa / 39 caps, 0 go)

att midfield — Jose Ernesto SOSA (FC Metalist Kharkiv – Ukr / 17 caps, 1 go), Angel DI MARIA (Real Madrid – Spa / 30 caps, 7 go)

striker — Gonzalo HIGUAIN (Real Madrid – Spa / 26 caps, 13 go), Lionel MESSI (FC Barcelona – Spa / 71 caps, 27 go)

substitutes
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FW – Sergio AGUERO (Manchester City – Eng / 38 caps, 15 go)
for Sosa – 46th min
DF – Hugo CAMPAGNARO (SSC Napoli – Ita / 3 caps, 0 go)
for Zabaleta – 65th min
MF – Pablo GUINAZU (SC Internacional Porto Alegre – Brz / 8 caps, 0 go)
for Di Maria – 73rd min
MF – Rodrigo BRANA (Estudiantes de la Plata / 5 caps, 0 go)
for Mascherano – 79th min

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Lionel Messi – Mit Elfmeter Nicht Gut Gemacht

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Wie schwierig ist dass? Gerade von der Bank kommen und dann ein Elfmeter zu halten. Und gegen der Fussballer der Alle Zeit auch!

Ja, es ist nie leicht ein Elfmeter zu halten. Aber es ist laecherlich, wie viele Aufmerksamkeit bekommt Messi. Und auch es gibt kein Frage, dass das Beste aller Zeit is Kaiser Franz.

Armer Lionel — ich bin mit ihm nie beeindruckt.

Argentinien hat auf dem Feld in Frankfurt mit ihren besten Spielern angekommen. Und Deutschland hat die B-Mannschaft mitgebracht. Wie viel mehr ueber das Testspiel heute, gibt es zu wissen?

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2012 European Championships : Italy 2 – Germany 1

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Germany winger LUKAS PODOLSKI (10), who has already been sold by relegated 1.FC Koeln for the reported transfer fee of 13.5 million Euros and will play next season in London for English Premier League side FC Arsenal, is closed down by a pair of teammates from traditional Serie A giant FC Juventus Turin, midfielder CLAUDIO MARCHISIO (8) and defender ANDREA BARZAGLI (15), during the 2012 UEFA European Championships semifinal match at the National Stadium (Stadion Narodowy) in Warsaw, Poland.
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A pair of complete and utter first half failures in central defense enabled an inexperienced and, heretofore, spectacularly unproductive striker to dig a deep hole from which his gift-giving opponents would never escape as ITALY dispatched a truly disappointed GERMANY 2-1 in the semifinals of the 2012 UEFA European Championships.

It is fair to say that Italy striker MARIO BALOTELLI had not exactly set the international football world on fire prior to the semifinal meeting with the Germans at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland. Just two goals on his first dozen appearances for the Azzuri really did not go a long way towards elevating the 21-year-old Manchester City striker to ‘prolific’ status, then. Still, it was a pair of well-taken goals from Balotelli against the run of play that left Germany shocked and stunned only 36 minutes into the clash of traditional neighboring football rivals.

Balotelli’s opening strike in the 20th minute actually marked the first time that Italy, who have won the coveted FIFA World Cup on four occasions, had, amazingly enough, EVER scored a goal at the semifinal stage of the UEFA European Championships in the entire 52-year-old history of the competition.

CORRECTION — The blog shamefully forgot about 1968, the year the Italians defeated the former Yugoslavia in a replay to actually win the European title, itself … so then, a corrected statement should read “Balotelli’s initial strike was the first time that Italy had scored a goal at the semifinal stage of the UEFA European Championships in 44 years”, or something along those lines.

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Italy midfielder ANDREA PIRLO (21) of FC Juventus Turin looks on as his Serie A teammate and national team constituent GIANLUIGI BUFFON (1) secures the football in front of lurking Germany striker MARIO GOMEZ of Bayern Munich during the 2012 UEFA European Championships semifinal match at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland.
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Germany, who have won the FIFA World Cup three times in addition to a record three titles earned at the UEFA European Championships, would go on to outshoot Italy 15-10 over the course of the contest. But, after a shaky beginning in dealing with a low cross from Germany defender JEROME BOATENG of Bayern Munich, the 34-year-old GIANLUIGI BUFFON of FC Juventus Turin showed just exactly why he has been so highly decorated all throughtout his successful career. A total of seven saves and a solitary goal only conceded from the penalty spot was just the sort of performance the Italians needed from their battle-tested goalkeeper with 119 caps and counting.

A signature stop arrived in the second half when Germany substitute winger MARCO REUS of Borussia Moenchengladbach, who had replaced the conspicuously underperforming LUKAS PODOLSKI of 1.FC Koeln on the left after the halftime break, had his menacing free kick curled up and over the wall effectively turned over the crossbar.

The Germans would have plenty of chances with set pieces while piling up an astonishing 14-0 ‘edge’ in corner kicks only to find the Italians, not particularly surprising given the country’s history and tradition of Catenaccio, ready and able to consistently deal with any and all situations.

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Thanks in large part to the efforts of both the captain Buffon as well as defensive midfielder ANDREA PIRLO, the 33-year-old FC Juventus Turin veteran who was selected as Man of the Match by the official website of Euro ’12, German futility against Italy on the big stage continues unabated.

Proud Germany are now winless in eight meetings with the stubborn southern neighbor Italy in a final tournament of a major international competition. This latest victory marks the first time Italy has ever defeated the Germans at the UEFA European Championships as, previously, the Italians had defeated Deutschland in the semifinals (1970, 2006) as well as in the Final (1982), itself, at the FIFA World Cup. The other four encounters between the two traditional footballing powerhouses at major international events have, of course, ended in a draw.

Herzlichen Glueckwuensche fuer Italien!

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GERMANY
========

goal — Manuel NEUER (Bayern Munich / 31 caps)

defense — Jerome BOATENG (Bayern Munich / 25 caps, 0 go), Mats HUMMELS (Borussia Dortmund / 19 caps, 1 go), Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich / 25 caps, 1 go), PHILIPP LAHM (Bayern Munich / 91 caps, 5 go)

def midfield — Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (Bayern Munich / 95 caps, 23 go), Sami KHEDIRA (Real Madrid – Spa / 32 caps, 2 go)

att midfield — Toni KROOS (Bayern Munich / 30 caps, 2 go), Mesut OEZIL (Real Madrid – Spa / 38 caps, 9 go), Lukas PODOLSKI (1.FC Koeln / 101 caps, 44 go)

forward — Mario GOMEZ (Bayern Munich / 57 caps, 25 go)

substitutes
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FW – Miroslav KLOSE (SS Lazio Rome – Ita / 121 caps, 64 go)
for Gomez – 46th min
MF – Marco REUS (Borussia Moenchengladbach / 8 caps, 2 go)
for Podolski – 46th min
MF – Thomas MUELLER (Bayern Munich / 32 caps, 10 go)
for Boateng – 71st min

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ITALY
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goal — Gianluigi BUFFON (FC Juventus Turin / 119 caps)

defense — Federico BALZARETTI (US Palermo / 11 caps, 0 go), Andrea BARZAGLI (FC Juventus Turin / 32 caps, 0 go), Leonardo BONUCCI (FC Juventus Turin / 19 caps, 2 go), Girogio CHIELLINI (FC Juventus Turin / 54 caps, 2 go)

def midfield — Andrea PIRLO (FC Juventus Turin / 88 caps, 10 go)

midfield — Claudio MARCHISIO (FC Juventus Turin / 25 caps, 1 go), Riccardo MONTOLIVO (AC Fiorentina / 36 caps, 1 go), Daniele DE ROSSI (AS Roma / 77 caps, 10 go)

forwards — Mario BALOTELLI (Manchester City – Eng / 13 caps, 4 go), Antonio CASSANO (AC Milan / 34 caps, 10 go)

substitutes
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MF – Alessandro DIAMANTI (FC Bologna / 4 caps, 0 go)
for Cassano – 58th min
MF – Thiago MOTTA (Paris St. Germain – Fra / 12 caps, 1 go)
for Montolivo – 64th min
FW – Antonio DI NATALE (Udiense Calcio / 41 caps, 11 go)
for Balotelli – 70th min

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