They Simply Find a Way to Win

Germany and England had just waged more than 120 minutes of gut-wrenching, mind-numbing soccer in the semifinals of the 1996 European championships at Wembley Stadium.

Through 90 minutes of regulation play, Germany had been outplayed by the hosts but clung on, unyieldingly, sending the match into overtime at 1-1.

In overtime, Germany dodged two more golden bullets, with England hitting the goal post once and missing a game-winning tap-in by inches.

On to the penalty-kick shootout, where both teams converted each of their first five attempts--Germany advancing only when England’s sixth kicker, rookie defender Gareth Southgate, squibbed his effort into the arms of German goalkeeper Andreas Kopke.

In the postmatch interview session, an emotionally gutted Terry Venables, the England manager, was asked what he admired most about the Germans.

“Their results,” Venables replied.

That is Germany, in three syllables or less.

The world master of pragmatic soccer, Germany once again will not field the flashiest, swiftest or prettiest team in this World Cup tournament. The Germans will not dribble like the Argentines, pass like the French, run like the Jamaicans or shoot like the Nigerians.

But in all likelihood, Germany will find a way to outlast them all, because that is simply what Germany does.

Germany won those 1996 European championships on sheer resolve, clawing back from a 1-0 deficit against England in the semifinals, clawing back from a 1-0 deficit against the Czech Republic in the final before winning on a sudden-death goal by a reserve, Oliver Bierhoff, who had also scored the equalizer in the 72nd minute of regulation--only four minutes after he had been brought on.

Reigning European titlists, the Germans also won the World Cup the last time it was contested on European soil--in 1990, in Italy, again outlasting the English in penalty kicks in the semifinals, again grinding out an unsightly result in the final--a brutish, foul-marred 1-0 victory over Argentina.

More so than Brazil, more so than Argentina, Germany has figured out what it takes to win a World Cup--defense, opportunism and an unflinching nerve--and honed it into a national style of play.

The dividends become obvious every fourth summer, with Germany either winning or reaching the final in five of the last eight World Cups. Since winning its first of three World Cup titles (as West Germany) in 1954, Germany has qualified for the Final Four seven times and never failed to reach at least the quarterfinals.

This is the opponent with which the United States will open the 1998 World Cup, on June 15 in Paris.

All ye faithful harboring pipe dreams of the United States stealing three points from the Germans in that one, beware.

According to the motivational propaganda coursing through the U.S. camp, Germany possibly can be had early because:

a) The Germans are old.

b) The Germans are traditionally slow starters.

True, nine of Germany’s top field players are 30 or older. But included among those eight are Jurgen Klinsmann (33), one of the greatest goal-scorers in the history of international soccer; Bierhoff (30), who scored more goals--27--in Italy’s top professional league last season than Ronaldo; Thomas Hassler (32), a fixture in the German midfield since 1990; Jurgen Kohler (32), still regarded as one of the best man-markers in Europe; and Lothar Matthaus (37), the old captain, back at sweeper as a late injury replacement for Matthias Sammer.

As for the slow-starter reputation, that tradition seems to have been born--and, in truth, confined--to the 1994 World Cup, played in the United States. In that tournament, Germany opened with an unimpressive 1-0 victory over Bolivia, then tied Spain, then had to sweat more than expected to ward off South Korea, 3-2.

Still, Germany won its group in ’94 and advanced to the quarterfinals, losing on two late goals by Bulgaria.

And in 1990, when Germany won the Cup, the “slow-starting” Germans squeaked by Yugoslavia in their opener, 4-1--then pounded the United Arab Emirates, 5-1, in their second match.

The United States will also have to contend with Andreas Moller, regarded as one of the three or four most dangerous midfielders in this World Cup, and a four-headed strike force that includes the leading scorers in Italy’s Serie A (Bierhoff) and the German Bundesliga (Ulf Kirsten), the top goal-scorer for Bundesliga champion Kaiserslautern (Olaf Marschall) and Klinsmann, who scored four goals in one late-season game for the English club team Tottenham Hotspur.

“I can’t remember the last time Germany sent so many strong forwards to a World Cup,” German Coach Berti Vogts said when he announced his team’s 22-man roster. “It’s a pleasure to have such forwards.”

Step carefully, young Americans.

And, after them, the rest of the world as well.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

GROUP F

The Schedule

SUNDAY

Yugoslavia vs. Iran, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2, Ch. 34)

MONDAY

Germany vs. United States, 3 p.m. (Ch. 7, Ch. 34)

JUNE 21

Germany vs. Yugoslavia, 8:30 a.m. (ESPN, Ch. 34)

United States vs. Iran, 3 p.m. (Ch. 7, Ch. 34)

JUNE 25

Germany vs. Iran, 3 p.m. (ESPN2, Ch. 34*)

United States vs. Yugoslavia, 3 p.m. (Ch. 7, Ch. 34*)

* Highlights