End of the world for Germany
● Coach Low left ‘shocked’ by loss to South Korea ● Once again, holders knocked out in group stage
Joachim Low admitted Germany’s stunning 2-0 defeat by South Korea which saw the holders eliminated from the World Cup left him “shocked”.
The four-time champions finished bottom of Group F after stoppage-time goals from Kim Young-gwon and Son Heung-min secured a famous victory for the Koreans in a dramatic conclusion in Kazan.
It is the first time the Germans have gone out of the finals in the group stage and left head coach Low fielding questions over his future.
“That’s hard to say. Of course, it takes a couple of hours to look into that,” said Low about hisownposition.“i’mshocked, I’m shocked because we didn’t manage to pull it off today.
“Where we go from here, we’ll have to talk about it calmly. It will take me some hours now to come to terms with it. I’m incredibly disappointed by this elimination.”
It is the fourth time in the last five World Cups that the defending champions have been eliminated in the group stage. France in 2002, Italy in 2010 and Spain in 2014 all suffered the same fate as the Germans who went into the tournament with the nucleus of the side that triumphed in Brazil four years ago.
In the other Group F match, in Ekaterinburg, Sweden clinched a 3-0 victory over Mexico, meaning a win against South Korea would have been enough for Germany to progress.
However, Die Mannschaft were once again far from at their best, with defender Mats Hummels particularly wasteful in front of goal.
Kim was not so profligate when he fired home from close range – although he was initially given offside before a VAR review sparked renewed celebrations – and Son completed the job.
Asked about Kim’s strike, which was allowed after Toni Kroos was adjudged to have played the ball backwards, Low said: “The player was in an offside position – that’s what I saw. But if the video refhave erees taken a different decision, then they will probably be right.”
Low and his players will return to Germany today, but with the coach dismissing suggestions that dark times could lie ahead. It is the first time in six tournaments in charge that the coach has failed to guide Germany to the semi-finals.
“Until quite recently, we have probably been the most consistent, in terms of performance, team in the past ten, 12 years,” Low said. “But we now are out and, of course, it’s a case of absolute sadness and disappointment, but I think we have young players who are very talented and who have the opportunity to go forward.”
For opposite number Shin Tae-yong, there were mixed feelings with the capture of a scalp only partial compensation for his side’s exit. Shin, who had given South Korea a one per cent chance of victory before the game, said: “I feel great, but at the same time, I feel a little bit empty, so I feel a little ambivalent.”
Holders Germany were sensationally dumped out of the World Cup after a late VAR review set South Korea on the way to a 2-0 win in their Group F encounter.
Kim Young-gwon thought he had fired the Koreans ahead a minute into added time but the goal was initially disallowed for offside. However, after a VAR review showed Germany’s Toni Kroos got the last touch, the decision was overturned.
Tottenham striker Son Heung-min then rolled the ball into an empty net to turn the screw with German keeper Manuel Neuer stranded upfield to make it 2-0.
The defeat, coupled with Sweden’s win over Mexico, ensured Germany failed to progress from the opening stage for the first time since 1938.
The game’s first real chance came at the German end after Sami Khedira had been penalised for a high challenge on Jung Woo-young.
Jung dusted himself down before firing in the 19thminute free-kick which Neuer spilled before only just managing to claw away the rebound before Son could pounce.
The Spurs man was handed a chance six minutes later after full-back Lee Yong’s cross had been only half-cleared, but he drilled his volley just high and wide of the target.
Germany were rarely able to inject any real pace into the game , though Low’s side belatedly started to flex their muscles when Timo Werner’s 39th-minute shot was deflected over and Hummels forced a point-blank save from Jo Hyeon-woo after Kroos’ corner had been recycled by Werner.
Neuer looked far more comfortable as he fielded Jung’s speculative effort within seconds of the restart, but it was opposite number Jo who had to produce a fine save to keep out Leon Goretzka’s 48thminute header after Joshua Kimmich had picked him out unmarked.
However, as news that Sweden had taken the lead in Nizhny Novgorod filtered through, Werner volleyed wastefully wide from Ozil’s pull-back when he looked odds-on to score.
Substitute Mario Gomez headed straight at Jo from Kimmich’s cross as the Germans stepped up a gear, but in an increasingly open contest, Son drove a 78th-minute shot into the side-netting at the other end. Hummels should have scored after being picked out by Mezut Ozil after 87 minutes, but made a mess of his header and the South Koreans took full advantage when, after Jang Hyun-soo had flicked on Son’s corner, Kim pounced, although it took a VAR review for offsideto confirm the goal.
There was worse to come for the Germans in the sixth minute of stoppage time when substitute Ju Sejong rounded Neuer deep in Korean territory and rolled the ball into Son’s path for him to race clear and clinch a famous win.
SOUTH KOREA: Cho,yong Lee, Yun, Young-gwon Kim, Hong, Jae-sung Lee, Jung, Jang, Moon (Ju 69), Koo (Hwang 56), Son, Hwang (Go 79). Subs not used: Seung-gyu Kim, Jeong, Oh, Park, Shinwook Kim, Seung-woo Lee, Min-woo Kim, Ki, Jin-hyeon Kim. GERMANY: Neuer, Kimmich, Hummels, Sule, Hector (Brandt 78), Khedira (Gomez 58), Kroos, Goretzka (Muller 63), Ozil, Reus, Werner. Subs not used: Trapp, Plattenhardt, Ginter, Draxler, Rudiger, Rudy, Gundogan, ter Stegen.