Rivalry Renewed: Germany-Argentina
30 June 2006, 07:51
In 1958 in Malmö, Sweden, Germany and Argentina played their first World Cup match. The West Germans were the victors, 3-1. It was an inauspicious start to a bad campaign for the South Americans (They gave up 10 goals in 3 matches) and an unassuming start to one of the great rivalries in world soccer. They’ve met four times in the World Cup (Argentina also fought East Germany to a 1-1 draw in the ’74 Cup). After the game in ’58, they drew 0-0 in Birmingham in 1966. Then there were the two consecutive finals.
In Mexico in 1986, Diego Maradona made all the headlines and all the highlight reels, but on the other side of the draw were the West Germans. Franz Beckenbauer’s team had been to four championship matches, winning twice. After a slow start, they made their way into the semifinals and defeated Michele Platini and France, 2-0.
It set up a tense final in Mexico City. Young defender Lothar Matthäus guarded Maradona closely. There were seven yellow cards issued. Both Matthäus and Maradona found their way into the book. In the first half the South Americans had the better part of the attacking play. They went ahead after 22 minutes when German keeper Toni Schumacher misjudged a free kick. After halftime they doubled the lead. Jorge Valdano went on a 20-yard run and slotted the ball home. Then the Germans stormed back. In the 74th minute, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge latched on to a corner. It was 2-1. With ten minutes left, Rudi Voller scored from another corner. Tie. The Argentines responded just four minutes later. Maradona split the defense with a through-ball, and Jorge Luis Burruchaga scored the winner. 3-2. It was a classic final.
Four years later, they did it again in Rome. It was not a classic. The referee lost control of the match. Each team argued that he missed clear infractions in the penalty area. He waved them off. Things got rough. The ref eventually awarded a very questionable penalty, in the final ten minutes, to the German team (which included current Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann). Two Argentines were sent off, and the game ended in chaos. But Germany had gotten revenge, 1-0. They won their third World Cup.
They meet today in the quarterfinals. They have been two of the most impressive teams so far. Klose and Podolski will lead the German attack, but the weapons are all over the field. Ballack can control things in the middle, while Schweinsteiger runs wild on the left. Frings will drift forward and fire from long-range. And don’t forget the World Cup’s first goal, a wicked shot by left back Philipp Lahm.
Argentina’s passing game is flowing beautifully. Riquelme is at the heart of it, but it is a team endeavor. It is a deep team. If Crespo and Saviola start, then Messi and Tevez will be ready on the bench.
Both defenses may be pressed. There were concerns about the German back four before the Cup. So far they haven’t been tested. They should be today. Mexico pushed the Argentina defense to its limits (Heinze should have been sent off for a bad challenge). Germany will look to so the same. It should be a classico.
All told, Argentina has played (West) Germany sixteen times. They’ve won seven of those. Germany has won five. They met most recently in last year’s Confederations Cup. It was a 2-2 draw.
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Pekerman is an absolute hideputa! Can you imagine a worse use of subs?
Clearly, Peker decided that he was going to place all his marbles on defending that 1 goal lead. It was as if he never imagined that Germany could score an equalizer, and thus never planned for it. If he wanted to make a defensive sub, he should have taken out Crespo for Cambiasso instead of Riquelme. Crespo was gassed and Riquelme still had some game in him. That way, if Germany scored, they could put in Messi for whomever with Riquelme serving him. Plus, it’s always good to have Riquelme in for free kicks.
And what was with putting Cruz in with a defensive formation? He is not the kind of striker (big and slow) you want in for a counter-attack, and he proved totally useless. If he thought Cruz would be a “holding-up-possession” forward, well didn’t turn out, did it?
The simple fact that Messi never saw the field was reason enough to cost Peker his job.
So in the end they were left with a defensive formation and a sub keeper to try to beat clinical Germany on penalties.
Peker should have bet on skill rather than luck.
— Diego M & Sophia K · 30 June 2006, 18:35 · #
The previous post is right on. What’s with putting in a striker to preserve a lead? And what is Cruz doing on the team anyway? Does he know something about Pekerman that we’re only now going to find out about? Regardless, Riquelme should have stayed and Messi should have come on. Nevertheless, I place the majority of the blame on Argentina’s complacent first half. Seventy percent possession and not a single dangerous shot to show for it!? Appalling! With all of the built-in advantages Germany had coming into today’s match I was shocked to see such a listless first half from Argentina. Yes, they dominated possession and even threatened for the first fifteen minutes, but overall there was nothing to fear from them. Tevez, by the way, proved piss poor in distributing with one touch or in any situation that didn’t start with him taking on a man. A few build-ups were squandered by his sloppy flicks, etc… It’s a shame, too, because Germany played the refs all game and deserved to lose for their chicanery. Ah well, Germany v. Brazil in the Final will be a great one.
— Bill · 30 June 2006, 19:12 · #