2014 World Cup: 1st Round - Germany vs Portugal

Home: World Cup Finals: Brazil 2014: Germany vs Portugal

Monday, 16th June

Germany vs Portugal in Salvador.

Match Preview

Germany and Portugal met at the Germany 2006 World Cup Finals; the hosts finishing the tournament on a high note, by winning Stuttgart's Third Place match.

Calling it the 'Klein Finale' Germany gave their fans a 3:1 victory to cheer about.

The two teams have met since then; at the Austria-Switzerland 2008 and Poland-Ukraine 2012 European Championships. Germany narrowly won both encounters; (3:2) in Basel and (1:0) in Lviv.

The Match

Philipp Lahm is chosen to play in a defensive midfield position.

Germany started confident and composed on the ball, while Portugal looked quick on the break; Ronaldo over ambitious at times.

Sami Khedira had an open goal to aim at from outside the box, in the seventh minute, after Rui Patricio left his goal line to sidefoot the ball out to a midfielder.

1:0
Germany were awarded a penalty in the eleventh minute, after Joao Pereira tussled Mario Gotze. Some might say the yellow card could have been a red. Easily converted by Thomas Muller.

2:0
Twenty minutes later, Germany doubled their lead as Mats Hummels climbed above Pepe and Bruno Alves to head in the curling corner from Toni Kroos.

Pepe let his Portuguese teamates down in the 37th minute; not so mush for fending Thomas Muller off with an outsretched hand to the face, but for stooping with his head towards the German; who had rolled around on the floor like a baby.

3:0
Thomas Muller made it three just before half-time. If Pepe was watching Muller's left foot shot from the middle of the area - in the changing room - he probably pushed the television set to the floor as well. If he nutted the box, then he is crazy.

Half-time: Germany 3 - Portugal 0

There wasn't really much to prove in the second-half. Not only did Pepe let his team down, he killed off the game for football fans around the world.

4:0
After some exhibition passing, Germany stepped up a gear. Patricio could only parry substitute Andre Schurrle's low cross and Muller was on hand to tap in his hat-trick, and into the 2014 Golden Boot hot seat.

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Final Score: Germany 4 - Portugal 0
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Goalscorers:
1:0 - Thomas Muller (12 mins, penalty)
2:0 - Mats Hummels (32 mins)
3:0 - Thomas Muller (45 mins)
4:0 - Thomas Muller (78 mins)

Teams

Germany:
1-Manuel Neuer; 20-Jerome Boateng, 17-Per Mertesacker, 5-Mats Hummels, 4-Benedikt Howedes; 16-Philipp Lahm, 6-Sami Khedira, 18-Toni Kroos; 8-Mesut Ozil, 13-Thomas Muller, 19-Mario Gotze.

Portugal:
12-Rui Patricio; 21-Joao Pereira, 3-Pepe, 2-Bruno Alves, 5-Fabio Coentrao; 4-Miguel Veloso, 8-Joao Moutinho, 16-Raul Meireles; 17-Nani, 9-Hugo Almeida, 7-Cristiano Ronaldo.

Referee: Milorad Mazic - Serbia