GERMANS IN HOT WATER FOR ANTICS AFTER GREAT ESCAPE
Thunder rumbled as the players boarded the team buses but it would take more than another mighty storm crashing ashore from the Black Sea to clear the air.
Bitter Swedes were still seething about Germany’s triumphant showboating after Toni Kroos salvaged the defence of their title with a 95th-minute winner.
So angry they almost forgot about the clear penalty they had been denied when the game was 0-0. Sweden were double cross.
‘disgusting behaviour,’ fumed winger emil Forsberg, on the gloating Germans.
‘Such a big nation behaving like that is not nice,’ said Seb Larsson. ‘If they want to behave poorly, that’s on them. Let’s leave it there.’ except, Oliver Bierhoff didn’t. Germany’s goal hero of euro ’96 and the team’s general manager had already waded unnecessarily into a pitch-side skirmish before taking a verbal swipe at the unambitious tactics of Swedish boss Janne Andersson.
‘emotions did run high,’ said Bierhoff. ‘I also had some words with the Swedes. The fact is, such a negative way of playing and so much time- wasting does not deserve to be rewarded.’
Andersson complained afterwards about the ‘ aggressive gestures’ of some members of the Germany staff who wanted to ‘rub our faces in defeat’.
FIFA last night opened disciplinary proceedings against uli Voigt, a member of Germany’s media team, and logistics manager Georg Behlau, who was seen on TV footage being pushed away by a member of the Swedish delegation. Perhaps it is no surprise to find they came from the non-playing side of the sporting code. Support teams have swollen in such numbers, and many of those employed are incapable of hiding their partisanship, particularly when the adrenaline is flowing.
Sweden were within seconds of a vital point and the world champions were down to 10 men and edging closer to the embarrassment of an early exit despite totally dominating the second half.
Ola Toivonen struck in the first half after the on-pitch officials and the video assistant referee were accused of missing an obvious penalty when Jerome Boateng fouled Marcus Berg. ‘We didn’t get any explanation,’ said John Guidetti. ‘With VAr you’d think they would at least look at it. It’s hard to take if he doesn’t even look. You have to get those decisions right.’
Marco reus equalised soon after the interval and Boateng was sent off. Timo Werner rattled a post and Sweden dug in to defend their goal before Kroos summoned the freekick which the Germans believe can transform their World Cup.
‘It wasn’t perfect but the late goal can be good for us,’ said defender Mats hummels. ‘Could it be the moment when things changed and helped us win the World Cup? Of course. Something like this can have a big impact. But we cannot get carried away. It will mean nothing if we make mistakes against South Korea. We have to be better.’
Germany played with greater intensity and urgency without Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira.
True, they remained fragile at the back, especially vulnerable to the counter-attack, but Boateng’s ban might restore solidity at the heart of the defence.
hummels expects to be fit to face the Koreans on Wednesday after missing the Sweden game with a sore neck. Serendipity might be on Joachim Low’s side if his team find the right balance via a sequence of setbacks and errors. Kroos has been far from his sublime best in the first two games but this goal cannot fail to inspire him.
‘nobody will write us a title,’ said Kroos. ‘It has to come from within us. We get no help from those who write, analyse and accuse us of bad body language.’
It is still all to play for in Group F and the dynamics have changed. The world champions have momentum and the weakest team to play. Sweden must beat Mexico in anticipation of a German win.
how they would savour the last laugh if one more twist swings this tight finish back in their favour.