The champions curse engulfed Germany as they crashed out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The 2014 champions suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to South Korea. Sweden also played its part, as they beat Mexico 3-0 in their draw. Germany needed at least a draw coming into the match, provided Mexico also drew against Sweden. The Swedes attacked with intent unlike the way they played against Germany. Augustinsson and Granqvist both scored in the second half, before an own goal by Alvarez saw them end the match 3-0. It was a result that would have proved too much for Mexico. Sweden’s three goals meant they were on top of the group, but it also gave Germany a lifeline as they only needed one goal to go through because of their superior goal difference. But two late goals by South Korea crushed Germany and sent them packing from the 2018 World Cup.
It was not a scoreline many would have predicted. True, Germany weren’t playing as well as you would expect from the defending champions. But, they lacked teeth and in the end they finished bottom of the group. It all happened in the final forty minutes as each goal scripted a different scenario for Germany, Mexico and Sweden.
When Sweden scored their first goal in the 50th minute, Germany needed two goals to go through. But when Sweden scored their second and third goals by the 74th minute, Germany breathed a sigh of relief. They now had at least 16 minutes plus extra time to put just one past the Koreans. They needed only one goal since their goal difference would put them ahead of Mexico. Sweden had done them a favour. Germany now needed a ‘Toni Kroos’ moment of inspiration. He was in fact the man that took Germany over the finish line when they beat Sweden deep into extra time. Unfortunately for them, Toni Kroos was the one who helped Korea score their first goal two minutes into extra time.
A corner from Son reaches Kim Young-gwon who controls it before putting it into the back of the net. The referee initially ruled it offside, but a VAR replay showed that it was Toni Kroos’ pass that reached Kim and even though he was in an off-side position, it was a legal goal. Germany now had a mountain to climb. They needed a victory and it looked like the logical decision when Manuel Neuer ran up the pitch into the Korean half for a corner. But Hummels’ corner was cleared and Ju robbed the ball off Neuer in the Korean half and took a shot at the German goal. Korea’s Son set off in pursuit and tapped the ball into the empty German net. The second goal was all too much for the mighty Germans who were knocked out of the World Cup in the first round for the first time since 1938! The game could have gone many ways.
Sweden, Mexico and Germany all were in contention when both the matches started. Each goal from the 50th minute onwards scripted a different scenario. Mexico looked like the team that would be at the end of a cruel defeat despite their heroic performances in their opening two matches. But it was Korea, the most unlikely of the four teams that went down in the history books as they slammed the door on Germany. This has been the best World Cup, at least in my life time. Even movies could not have scripted such nail-biting finishes!