Feb
18
Germany ends the tournament on a high note
Filed Under World Cup 2006 |
A young and enthusiastic German team won the Bronze medal after a valiant effort against Portugal. The home team, led by man of the match Bastian Schweinsteiger, dominated a Portuguese side winning with a 3-1 score. One can easily argue that this game was one of the most entertaining we have watched this past month.
Both teams entered the match playing to win. Germany was in control during the first few minutes but soon Portugal settled and they also begun to push forward for the first goal. Neither team managed to score in the first half mostly because of an excellent performance by the two goalkeepers, Ricardo and Kahn. In the second half both sides begun playing at an even higher pace looking for what could have been a golden goal. Schweinsteiger was the first to strike on the 56th minute with a well taken shot from far outside the penalty box. The same player created the 2nd goal for Germany executing a free kick that was accidentally deflected into the net by Petit who was trying to block the shot. Just 12 minutes before the end, Schweinsteiger scored another one with a superb shot that Ricardo couldn’t stop. Portugal took one back just 2 minutes before the end of the match with Gomes’s header from a Luis Figo cross. Figo had entered the game as a second half substitute.
Other than the hosts winning their last game and putting a smile on their supporters’ faces, this was also the last game for two of football’s greatest players. Before the tournament started, Luis Figo had already announced his retirement from international play. Figo will continue to play for his club in Milan. In addition, Oliver Kahn who today made his first appearance for Germany in this World Cup is also retiring. Both players were able to bow out on a high note, Figo assisting on Portugal’s goal and Kahn making several key saves during the match. Portugal’s Pauleta also announced his retirement from the national team at the end of the game. He leaves with a grand total of 47 goals in 88 matches. His scoring touch will surely be missed.
Tomorrow, France and Italy will meet in Berlin to decide who will be taking home the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This game is also important since it will be Zinadine Zidane’s very last game of football having already announced his retirement at the conclusion of the World Cup.