Europe fighting for the world (04/07/2006 18:43)

We have now reached the semi-finals in the World Cup and all none-european teams hve been knocked out one after another.

After the group stage there was 10 out of 16 teams from Europe. So only 6 teams from other parts of the world  made it through the group stage.
Argentina
Mexico
Brazil
Australia
Ghana
Ecuador

Mexico lost to Argentina in the 1/8 finals, teams like Australia, Ghana and Ecuador followed them out of the tournament later on in the same stage. Only the big World Cup teams like Argentina and Brazil made it through to the Quarter final. Argentina faced the home team, Germany, while Brazil should get their chance to revenge there 3-0 loss against France in the 1998 final.

Argentina kept a clean sheet in the first half against Germany in the first half, but also failed to score themself.
Argentina was the big team so far in the tournament and had played the best football. Against Serbia & Montenegro, a game they won 6-0, they created a goal that will go into every football lovers heart. It might be the best goal every created in the world cup history. Early in the second half Germany would get to feel Argentinas force infront of goal. Riquelme struck a perfect corner around the 6 yard box where Ayala managed to sneak infront of Klose and headed the ball into the net.
Argentina was 1-0 up. Argentina seemed to have control, but then in the 70 minute thing started to get a bit strange. In the 71st minute their goalie had to go off with an injury, making their second goalie come onto the pitch without getting warm first. Then in the 72nd minute Jose Pekerman made his first strange move and took Riquelme off the pitch, then just 7 minutes later he made a second strange substitue and took Hernando Crespo off the field as well. Clearly Argentina got to defensive. Just 1 minute later Germany struck back with Klose and made it 1-1. Germany now had the upper hand.
The game went into extra time where no one managed to strike a winning goal and the match needed to be decided on penalties.
Jens lehmann became the hero as he saved both penalties from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso. Germany scored on all there 4 penalties.
The big difference was a little note Lehmann had hidden in his right sock bewteen the penalties. Between every penalty kick he would take it out and read it. What was on the note? What better then who normally took Argentinas. penalties and which corner they normally placed the ball. Klinsmann had done it again. That guy thinks of everything .

In the other match where Brazil met France there was no doubt which team was the best. France had full control on the former World Champions although the only managed to win the match 1-0 after Thierry Henry struck home a 1-0 win on a freekick from Zidane in the 54th minute. Brazil never managed to threat Barthez in the French goal and France got the win rather easy.

That's how the last none-european countries got knocked out of the ongoing World Cup. Now we only got 4 european teams left in the tournament.

Germany - Italy