Historic failure for Germany
FOOTBALL KAZAN, Russia: Champion Germany crashed out of the World Cup after suffering a stunning 20 defeat by a tenacious South Korea yesterday that eliminated it in the opening round for the first time in 80 years and sent the footballmad nation into mourning.
Long the benchmark of excellence in the sport, Germany’s dismal campaign ended meekly after stoppagetime goals by Kim Younggwon and Son Heungmin condemned Joachim Loew’s side to finishing bottom of group F.
Fourtime champion and fourtime runnerup, Germany will head home after a scarcely believable failure, having also suffered a shock 10 loss to Mexico in its opener and only scraped past Sweden with a stoppage time winner.
‘‘We didn’t deserve to win the title again. We didn’t deserve to get into the last 16,’’ manager Joachim Loew, who has overseen a golden era in German football since 2006, said.
We wanted to win but we didn’t have what it takes.’’
With the group going down to the wire, Germany needed victory against the lightly regarded Koreans to give itself a chance of progressing.
Yet it scarcely looked capable of scoring, let alone going on to claim another trophy. It became the fourth champion in five World Cups to fall at the first hurdle during its title defence.
Sweden sprang a surprise with a 30 thumping of Mexico in Yekaterinburg, breaking its opponent’s resistance after a scoreless first half and guaranteeing that both teams advance to the ast 16.
Sweden finished top of group F on goal difference, both teams on six points ahead of South Korea and Germany on three apiece.
It marked a remarkable swing in Swedish fortunes after the crushing disappointment of losing to a stoppagetime goal from Germany’s Toni Kroos four days ago.
After South Korea shocked Germany, hundreds of Mexican fans partied outside the South Korean embassy in Mexico City to thank the Asian country for its victory over Germany, which guaranteed the national team a spot in the knockout stages despite yesterday’s loss.
Traffic snarled around the embassy in the capital’s upscale Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood as jubilant fans leapt up and down, cheered and drank tequila, mobbing Korean diplomatic staff and singing Mexican football hymns.
Goals by Paulinho and Thiago Silva earned Brazil a 20 win in Moscow over an outclassed Serbia and a knockout tie against Mexico.
Brazil took a while to find its stride against a physical Serbian side which briefly rattled itse illustrious rival, but once Paulinho put it ahead after 36 minutes it always looked comfortable and Silva’s 68thminute header settled it.
‘‘We don’t live by expectation, we live by reality,’’ Brazil coach Tite said when asked how he felt about his team now being tournament favourite.
Costa Rica broke its World Cup duck in a pulsating 22 draw against Switseland Niznhy Novgorod yesterday that resulted in the European side moving into the next round against Sweden.
‘‘We’re happy, we made it to the last 16. But we’re still going to speak among us about how we’re starting games,’’ goalkeeper Yann Sommer said of Switzerland’s timid opening. — Reuters