Semi Final - Germany vs South Korea

[hilly]

Originally posted by BT
Jeff Farmer isn't injured, he's scoring goals for the Germans instead & goes by the alias "Ballack"

You must be a fan of the Sunday Age's Psst section BT as the comparison was made a few weeks back

 

[hilly]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
I don't like the Germans much, but I'd prefer them in the WC final than the corrupt Koreans

At least they beat Italy

 

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by SeinDude
GERMANY ARE IN THE WORLD CUP FINAL!!

Germany 1 vs South Korea 0

And here's my match report...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ballack's persistence sends Germany into World Cup final
By William Olson

Michael Ballack's goal a quarter-hour from time launched Germany into a World Cup championship match for the seventh time and thus ending South Korea's run at glory, following a 1-0 victory for the Germans in Seoul on Tuesday evening.

Ballack, however, will miss the final against the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal pitting Brazil against Turkey in Saitama, Japan-- having received a second yellow card during the knockout rounds just a few minutes before he scored the goal-- but Germany coach Rudi Voeller relishes the challenge on Sunday in Yokohama following the effort his team put forth against South Korea.

It was a game that saw the Germans as full value for the win, after they had dominated the attacking play for a majority of the 90 minutes. "I think we played very well early on and right from the start," said Voeller, himself a member of West Germany’s participating World Cup final sides in 1986 and ’90, winning the latter of those meetings against Argentina.

"We were very compact on defense. We changed the defense around a bit and played with the line of four, and throughout the game we were able to create goal scoring opportunities. I think we were the deserved winners of this match," added Voeller.

And according to South Korea coach Guus Hiddink, there was no match for Germany’s reputation for coming up truest in big-game situations.

"The German team was a little more experienced on more occasions. We tried in the second half to close them down, but in the first half, I think we had a bit too much respect for the German team," said Hiddink, whose side had beaten four European sides-- Poland and Portugal in Group D first-round play and Italy and Spain in the knockout stages-- during their improbable storybook run into the competition’s last four.

"But I think we can be proud of the boys, what they did not just tonight, because in the second half we could close them down. But especially with the long run of the tournament, I'm very proud of the way the players performed," he added.

South Korea had the game’s first bonafide scoring chance, in the seventh minute, when Lee Chun-Soo hit a solid shot from Cha Du-Ri's inch-perfect cross, but right at German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. In truth, the tournament co-hosts would come no closer to scoring a goal on the night that would send them into Sunday’s final, as they spent most of the game displaying a tenacious defense and content with using their quickness and athleticism in a counter-attacking mindset.

Germany may have had the run of play in the opening 45 minutes, but the likes of Miroslav Klose, Oliver Neuville and Marco Bode had trouble solving the Koreans' tigerish defense and never really threatened 'keeper Lee Woon-Jae into making a save.

After the interval, the Germans maintained their attacking mindset, and Bode could have used a bit more power on his headers to score, but Germany had established themselves as the better side within the opening five minutes of the period.

The Germans, however, had to wait until the 75th minute in which to get the breakthrough they deserved, with Neuville making a potent run down the right and finding Ballack in the middle of the penalty area. The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, who had knocked the United States out of the competition with a headed goal in the first half at the quarterfinal stage, scored his third goal of this World Cup at the second attempt, after Lee had saved his initial shot. Ballack made no mistake with the rebound, volleying strongly past a bewildered Lee.

That goal spelled a death knell to South Korea’s hopes at snatching a smash-and-grab winner, and Germany were unlucky not to have doubled their margin of victory by the end of the match.

Afterwards, Voeller further saluted Ballack's warrior-like match-winning efforts at both ends of the field.

"We have to meet him with the highest respect. It's a great pity he will have to miss the final, not only because he scored the goal, but because he is one of the best players ... it's more or less his duty," admitted Voeller.

"Even though he knew with another yellow card he would miss the final, he still committed that tactical foul which was utterly necessary. So he placed himself at the service not only of the team but the whole of Germany. The entire country will understand him and applaud him," added Voeller.

"A few weeks ago, when we played against high-calibre opponents in the group stage, Cameroon and Ireland to be precise. Nobody really expected us to even go to the round of 16. But once you've reached the semifinals, there's no denying that you dream about the final, and I think we've played really, really well. We were very organized, and we deserve to be there," added Voeller about his team's date with destiny on Sunday.

Meanwhile, South Korea has one game left to play, against the loser of the Brazil-Turkey semifinal for third place Saturday in Daegu, South Korea, and Hiddink promises that his team will do its loyal following proud by going out on a winning note.

"There's disappointment tonight. But we'll recover and for us, I hope to bring the players again to an acceptable level to go for third place. Of course we have to swallow this disappointment, but I think in a few days we must recover to go, for the home public, for third place," said Hiddink.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would just like to say that, ahead of Saturday's 3rd-place playoff, that it's been a pleasure to write reports for each of the teams that started out in Group D. Seeing that it's just a natural extension of my regular job as a soccer correspondent, I hope all of you have enjoyed reading my work, and will continue to do so.

Cheers,
William

 

[Voice of Reason]

Originally posted by you_idiot
"Even though he knew with another yellow card he would miss the final, he still committed that tactical foul which was utterly necessary. So he placed himself at the service not only of the team but the whole of Germany. The entire country will understand him and applaud him," added Voeller.

.....and thus the true sportsmanship and nationalism of Germany lives on....

Go Brazil! (or Turkey).

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Gutted!

Bad luck South Korea but a courageous effort and you deserve all the accolade you get from your countrymen.

 

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN
Gutted!

Bad luck South Korea but a courageous effort and you deserve all the accolade you get from your countrymen.

Nick,

Don't you have a bit of Brazilian in you that can be brought up now before tonight's game?? LOL!!

Cheers!!
SeinDude

 

[Jars458]

If that's all our great game can throw up in the semi final of the World Cup then soccer is in trouble

Very very boring game


The turning point was that Ballack yellow card

The Koren guy had three players unmarked and chose to go himself and got chopped down. His selfishness lost Korean the game in my view.

Germany must be the worst team to make the Final in living memory.

Lets hope Turkey or Brazil can win the thing and that we see some good play tonight.

 

[Frodo]

The lack of knowledge of the game on this board amazes me.

The Koreans are second rate hacks with a lot of energy that have been hugeley favoured by refereeing. Mark my words that they wont get past the first stage in the next world cup.

Never before have i seen challenges in the air where elbow into the back or head of oppnents prior tho the ball arriving go unpunished so many times. Zorro should have been yellow carded at least 7 times last night for that reason alone.

Germany, who were three divisions better than Korea, won because the referee only missed 50% of their fouls compared with 90% in previous Korean games.

Koreans had only 1 shot on goal in the whole night

And as for the penalty that was denied and a booking given for a dive....geesh......the goalie took the germans foot..CLEARLY.

 

[-GB-]

I would have to agree that last night was one of the more boring matches of the Cup. However, that's how Germany having been playing this world-cup, and reaching the final, you would have to say it has been successful.

This is similar to flooding in AFL. The scoreline may be lower, but if the team is winning, why would they change their style.

I think Australians got behind the South-Koreans because we all love underdogs, and the game pace and excitement was unmatched.

Germany are a more solid team than South-Korea, however they are still IMO nowhere near the class of Brazi.

 

[Jars458]

Originally posted by Frodo
The lack of knowledge of the game on this board amazes me.

The Koreans are second rate hacks with a lot of energy that have been hugeley favoured by refereeing. Mark my words that they wont get past the first stage in the next world cup.

Never before have i seen challenges in the air where elbow into the back or head of oppnents prior tho the ball arriving go unpunished so many times. Zorro should have been yellow carded at least 7 times last night for that reason alone.

Germany, who were three divisions better than Korea, won because the referee only missed 50% of their fouls compared with 90% in previous Korean games.

Koreans had only 1 shot on goal in the whole night

And as for the penalty that was denied and a booking given for a dive....geesh......the goalie took the germans foot..CLEARLY.

Your rant against Korea continues

How many chances did Germany make?

Don't bag other peoples views when you yourself are clearly biased.

 

[Smokin]

That game was pretty boring. Germany are very ordinary - actually, this whole cup has been fairly ordinary IMO (relative).

I reckon that Italy or Spain would beat Germany or Sth Korea 9/10 times these current teams would play.

It was refreshing to see Korea finally get picked up for all the scragging, hi kicks and everything they have been incredibly getting away with.

If they were fair dinkum on holding in the area, Korea would not have won a game as I think they have, from what Ive seen, been the absolute worst offender this tournament. But then again they're so small, they nearly have to!