Another day, another World Cup shock as Serbia get the most unlikeliest of victories against Germany. Klose’s sending off was ridiculously harsh and Serbia added insult to injury by nicking the only goal immediately after. Germany came right back at them in the second half and probably deserved an equaliser, but it just wasn’t their day. All to play for in Group D, Serbia 1-0 Germany.
There goes the final whistle!!!
Some heroic defending from the Serbian defence particularly Nemanja Vidic who’s been outstanding. Stankovic conveniently goes down with cramp to eat up the clock.
If Serbia can hang on, this result will really put the cat amongst the pigeons in the group. If Australia can get a result against Ghana, all the teams in Group D will go into the final round of matches with a chance of qualification.
When Serbia have had the chance to break, they’ve done so woefully. Lazovic, Zigic and now Kacar have all had chances to punish Germany in the final third but have failed miserably to do so. Time nearly up.
Podolski with yet another chance for Germany, he fizzes in a shot from the edge of the box but again it’s wide of the target. That’s 6 efforts off target for Podolski today, his only one on target was the penalty miss.
Podolski’s free kick causes problems but Vidic dives bravely to divert it over the bar. 8 minutes left in Port Elizabeth.
Kacar with a great chance for Serbia to put the game to bed after a knock down from Zigic, but like so many shots in the World Cup, it’s high and over the bar.
Jovanovic the goalscorer departs for Serbia to be replaced by Lazovic.
Mario Gomez on for Germany instead of the left back Badstuber, who has been destroyed by Krasic today.
Petrovic on for Kuzmanovic for Serbia.
Zigic hits the bar for Serbia after a fantastic cross from that man Krasic. Zigic should really have scored, he was only five yards out and had towered above the defender. That would have been game over.
Schweinsteiger takes out Kolarov in the centre circle and the card happy referee dishes out yet another yellow.
Martin O’Leary is back on again.
“Ha! Im from Cork…take it back!!! Ya your right, cahill’s sending off was borderline, klose’s was a joke. Refs are actually ruining some games by doing this “establish authority” crap”.
Sorry Martin I took the eng you had in brackets after your name to mean England. Yes, a lot of refs in big tournaments like this especially, seem to think that they have to follow the rule to the letter rather than using common sense.
Serbia hit the post through their goalscorer Jovanovic. Again it’s Krasic causing problems down the right. He wriggles his way into the box and lays it off to the Liverpool bound Jovanovic, who tries to pass it in to the net but is denied by the woodwork. First real effort from Serbia second half.
Penalty miss aside, Germany have been excellent second half. If you didn’t know, you’d swear Serbia were the team with ten men. They don’t seem to have any ambition to get another goal.
Nemanja Vidic can breathe a sigh of relief. An outrageous decision by the United defender to deliberately handle the ball from a cross that wasn’t going anywhere. Podolski stepped up and fired a very weak effort to Stojkovic’s left that the Wigan keeper saved comfortably. Who said the Germans were good at penalties?
Podolski misses penalty!!!
Penalty Germany!!!
Podolski with yet another chance, this time a bit more difficult on the half volley. Ozil the provider again and Podolski smashes a half volley into the side netting.
Podolski with a wonderful chance to equalise for Germany. Ozil plays a delightful ball through and on his stronger left foot inside the box, you would have fancied Podolski to score. He drags it wide of the far post and Serbia are let off the hook again.
Germany will have to watch Krasic on the break for Serbia. He’s been flying all day.
Great start to the second half for Germany. Podolksi stings Stojkovic’s palms wkith a fierce shot from the edge of the area. Stojkovic spills the ball but Serbia scramble the ball to safety.
Schweinsteiger almost bursts through the middle for Germany but Vidic makes a brilliant last ditch tackle.
Germany have a hard task in front of them. With an extra man and a goal lead, Serbia will sit back and absorb pressure all day.
Martin O’Leary from England thinks he knows why Klose was given a red card.
“You could argue its Karma, after all Cahill didn’t deserve a straight red!”
Fair enough, Martin, but Cahill was definitely more deserving of red than Klose in my eyes.
Back underway in Port Elizabeth. No switches at the break.
From the corner, Khedira goes so close to an equaliser. The ball bounces to the midfielder on the edge of the area and he cracks a shot off the crossbar and Serbia scramble the rebound to safety. The half time whistle goes.
Muller with a mazy run in the box and there were so many feet flying in he probably would have got a penalty if he went down. But he’s nothing if not honest and stays on his feet and wins a corner.
The Serbian players would be wise to take it easy in the tackle. Like any good GAA ref, Spanish official Alberto Undiano will probably be looking to level the playing field and there’s already a few Serbians on a yellow.
The BBC’s Mick McCarthy is livid at the referee. ‘It was an outrageous decision’, he says. ‘The ref has ruined the game. If he did that to me I’d have his backside in the bacon slicer’. Ok he didn’t say the last line but you get the picture.
Krasic again causing problems down the right, dinks a cross back to Zigic at the back post. The big man nods it down and Milan Jovanovic is on hand to knock it in for six yards. What a disastrous few minutes for Germany.
GOAL Serbia!!!!
That’s the harshest red card, or second yellow, I have ever seen. Klose tracks Stankovic back and actually gets a slice of the ball while trying to nip the ball from the Serbian. He didn’t even slide or anything. The ref has only made it difficult for himself by throwing out yellow cards for virtually nothing all game.
Klose sent off for Germany!!!
Muller causing problems down the right for Germany sending in a dangerous ball towards Klose that comes off the striker and bounces in the six yard box. No German player there to take advantage and Serbia clear it to safety.
Kolarov with a decent effort from the right from the free kick. Gets it up and over the wall but it’s about a foot away from the angle of post and crossbar.
Lahm with a wild tackle on Krasic at the edge of the area which inevitable results in a yellow card for the German captain. That’s five yellows issued so far.
Klose has the ball in the net but he’s offside. Schweinsteiger played him in and he was half a yard off. It’s a pity because he chipped the ball beautifully to the net over Stojkovic.
Very patient build up play from Germany with Schweinsteiger very much the puppetmaster pulling all the strings in midfield. Comes to nothing on this occasion however.
Serbia looked overawed at the beginning but they’ve settled down well now. They did qualify ahead of France after all, but that achievement doesn’t seem all that great after what we’ve seen of France so far in the competition.
Krasic’s corner is met by Zigic at the near post but it flies high and wide. No saves for any keeper to make so far and over 20 minutes gone.
Khedira shown a yellow card for a fairly cynical foul on Krasic. The way things are going both teams will never finish the game with 11 men.
Ivanovic goes into the book with a hefty challenge from behind on Podolski. It wasn’t that bad, ref not going to let much go this afternoon it seems.
Zigic winning everything in the air for Serbia up front. He should do, he’s 6 ft 8″.
Krasic causing more problems for Serbia down the right, beating and drawing a foul from Badstuber for the second time in the opening stages. That’s definitely an area where Serbia can cause problems, Badstuber didn’t exactly cover himself in glory for Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season.
Klose clatters into Ivanovic for the second time in as many minutes and earns himself a yellow card.
Ninkovic in acres of spaxce at the back post after a lovely searching ball from Krasic, but Ninkovic’s shot is hurried, high and well over the bar.
The future of Nemanja Vidic seems to be unclear with reports that his wife can’t settle in Manchester. Which gives us enough reason to think that a story suggesting he is off to Man City is slightly dubious. For more on that rumour and other transfer tales, click here.
Great effort from Podolski. Vidic’s clearing header drops to the striker at the edge of the box and he rifles a left foot volley just wide of the post. Only inches wide, a warning for Serbia.
The way Serbia are set up, they look like they’ll try and catch Germany on the break. They have two banks of four behind the ball right across the pitch inviting the Germans on to them.
Ozil, who was excellent against Australia, already involved, sending a lovely dinked through ball for Khedira whose volley loops high over the bar. Nice interplay early on from the Germans.
They’re underway in Port Elizabeth
This should be nice and open because Serbia really have to win this one and the Germans love to play attacking football. Nearly ready to go…
Barry Brunt from Leixlip has been in touch, wondering what Serbia have in reserve.
“Anyone good on the Serbia bench? I’ve heard good things about Yurmamsabic. Did they even call up Whogivsashich?”
Very good Barry! All Serbian name related puns to shout@joe.ie.
After South Korea yesterday and Slovakia not so long ago, I’ve drawn another short straw in terms of player names with the Serbians… ics all over the place.
No changes for Germany surprise, surprise as Joachim Loew sticks with the same side who were so impressive against Australia. Three changes for Serbia. Subotic comes in for Lukovic, Ninkovic is a surprise inclusion ahead of Pantelic and Kuzmanovic replaces Milijas.
Teams:
Germany: Neuer, Friedrich, Holger Badstuber, Lahm, Mertesacker, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Podolski, Klose, Muller
Serbia: Stojkovic, Kolarov, Vidic, Ivanovic, Subotic, Stankovic, Jovanovic, Krasic, Ninkovic, Kuzmanovic, Zigic
Hello folks and welcome to JOE’s live coverage of Germany and Serbia in Group D. In the last couple of days we’ve had some cracking ties so let’s hope it continues today. The Germans were fantastic against Australia in the opening game and turned some heads with the quality of their football. We can’t wait for this one. Teams to follow shortly.
