Germany seek to complete escape

Marco Reus has no intention of allowing South Korea to stop Germany progressing to the last 16 today, now that the World Cup holders have already saved their skins once.

Reus was a substitute in the 1-0 defeat to Mexico, but given a starting role against Sweden he bundled in a 48th-minute leveller to drag Germany back into the game.

With seconds on the clock in Sochi, Germany secured a vital 2-1 win thanks to Toni Kroos’s superb curling shot, with Reus setting it up in a setpiece move.

It meant Germany avoided the ignominy of becoming the sixth team to crash out as World Cup holders, but they are not safe yet.

Joachim Loew’s pre-tournament favourites could still be stopped at the first round for the first time since 1938.

The Germany team that won all 10 of their qualifiers with a whopping 39-plus goal difference have yet to convince many they deserve a place in the last 16, let alone the final.

Germany’s path to the second round is littered with obstacles.

Although South Korea sit bottom of the group without a point following defeats to Mexico (2-1) and Sweden (1-0), all four teams can still qualify.

Germany will go through if they win by two or more clear goals against South Korea, who can qualify if they beat Germany, and Sweden lose, and finish with a better goal difference than both teams.

If Germany and Sweden draw their games, the team in the higher-scoring game will finish second. If the matches finish with the same score, Germany will finish second. –