Two goals from Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil in the 30 miutes extra time of play helped Germany survive a rampaging Algeria side as the Germans emerge 2-1 victor over their African opponent.
The victory pitches Germany against France who had defeated another African team, Nigeria in the earlier fixture in what is expected to be a mouthwatering World Cup quarterfinal meeting between the two.
The north African outsiders played with energy and confidence to regularly expose a static German defence and Islam Slimani found the net with an early diving header which was ruled out for offside, but superb double save by goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi to deny Toni Kroos and Mario Goetze kept the match scoreless at halftime.
Mbolhi made another excellent save from a close-range Thomas Mueller header to take the match into extra time but the fitter-looking Germans were in control by then and took the lead within 90 seconds of the extra period when substitute Schuerrle cleverly dragged in a low Mueller cross.
Ozil banged in the second in the 120th minute and though Abdelmoumene Djabou replied in added time Germany extended their remarkable record of reaching at least the quarter-finals in every World Cup they have entered since 1938 and gave them their first win in three attempts against Algeria, who famously beat them in a 1982 World Cup group game.
0 comments:
Post a Comment