ENGLAND A LITTLE UNLUCKY, BUT GERMANY DESERVED TO WIN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 28 Jun 2010
Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda and his assistants robbed England of a clear goal that would have enabled the team to even the score at 2-2 at halftime against an inspired German squad. But while attention may well be focused on the bungling match officials that failed to concede a Frank Lampard equalizer it was clear that once again Germany?s stranglehold over England in major tournaments continued.
The young German squad showed lots of creativity and confidence in ultimately overwhelming a shattered England squad 4-1 to advance to the quarter finals where they will meet the winners of the match between Argentina and Mexico.
BBC Sport?s chief football writer who was in Bloemfontein, Phil McNulty put it succintly when he said England's World Cup ended in a mixture of humiliation and controversy as they were thrashed by Germany .
However, Germany?s convincing three goal margin is certain to be overshadowed by the controversy over the goal that robbed Fabio Capello?s squad of all hope of reaching the quarter finals.
The infinitely superior Germans grabbed the match by the scruff of the neck with two fine goals by Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski but when Matthew Upson pulled one back for England there was hope among the England supporters. But a short while later in what appeared to be a reminder of G eoff Hurst?s questionable goal that helped England to victory over West Germany in the 1966 finals, the superb lofted finish hit the cross bar and landed well inside the German goal and behind goalkeeper Manuel Neuer but to the horror of the English players and their supporters the referee signaled play to continue.
The vehement protests by the England players and David Beckham at halftime couldn?t change the decision and in the end the Germans capitalized on their good fortune.
The England defense was exposed by the fluent Germans with John Terry and Upson often at sea against the driving youngsters from Germany who spotlighted their weaknesses in embarrassing fashion while striker Wayne Rooney?s impact in the World Cup could at best be described as almost non-existent.
Skipper Steven Gerard and Lampard tried gallantly to salvage what in the end turned out to be a hopeless cause.
BBC Sports reported that Lampard struck the bar as England dominated the early stages of the second half, but stunning counter-attacks saw Thomas Mueller score twice in the space of three minutes midway through the second half to send Germany into the last eight.
England, with some justification, will bemoan their luck but as Phil McNulty correctly pointed out ?nothing must disguise the manner in which they were outclassed by Germany in stages of this game and also what has been an ultimately bitterly disappointing World Cup campaign in South Africa.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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