How did Germany do it? Residents chime in at the end of Brazil 2014
JOBURG - Germany win their fourth world cup. Residents share their views.
RANDBURG – Germany beat Argentina 1–0 in the final of the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil, on day 25 of the tournament, 13 and 14 July.
Residents discuss the match, as well as what Germany did right to win their fourth world cup.
The match was also physical, even slightly violent, with players sliding and jumping into each other, at one stage causing blood to flow.
Germany attacked from the start but Argentina proved a threat from an early counterattack, showing they would not be rolled over like their South American neighbours, Brazil.
There were ample opportunities to score on both sides.
In the first half Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain found himself one-on-one with Germany keeper Manuel Neuer, after Germany midfielder Toni Kroos accidentally headed the ball between his own defence and keeper, but Higuain shot wide to the left of the goal.
Higuain almost scored in the 30th minute, putting a cross from Ezequiel Lavezzi into the bottom right corner, but it was ruled offside.
In the 37th minute Argentina Keeper Sergio Romero pulled off a solid save of André Schürrle’s powerful, close-range shot.
The second half was tamer, and extra time only had a few chances.
Then Germany forward Mario Götze scored brilliantly, after coming on as a late substitute.
Schürrle gave him a lofted pass, and Götze , who was in the box but standing at a tight angle from goal, chested the ball before volleying past the right of Romero into the upper right of the goal.
The cheers were deafening.
Argentina forward Lionel Messi, four times Fifa World Player of the Year, had a freekick right at the end of the match, but he sent it way over the goals.
Before the world cup started Spokesperson for Randburg Football Club Marlon Abrahams said that Argentina was the second most likely team to win the tournament after Brazil.
He cited Argentina’s geographical closeness to Brazil, them being Brazil’s traditional rivals and the Lionel Messi factor as reasons for this.
Netherlands was his third choice.
Read day 24′s action here.
