Germany Rolls Over Sweden
The game plan was to apply pressure from the start and score an early goal.
Mission accomplished.
Germany is in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and beginning to look and talk like a contender after a 2-0 victory over Sweden on Saturday. Juergen Klinsmann’s squad needed only 12 minutes to break down the Swedes for a confidence-boosting win over one of the traditionally top European teams.
“I can’t remember the last time Germany played such a first 30 minutes. It was fantastic,” Klinsmann said. “It couldn’t have been better.”
Lukas Podolski scored both goals, in the fourth and 12th minutes, with forward partner Miroslav Klose playing a big role. Podolski now has three goals in the tournament and the two have combined for seven.
Germany, 4-0 in the tournament, next plays in Berlin on Friday against Argentina, which beat Mexico, 2-1, in overtime. The two teams met in the 1986 and 1990 finals with each team winning once.
“We played Argentina twice in the past two years and we drew both times in very good games,” Klinsmann said. “We have no fear.
“We are three-time champions, we are playing at home. It won’t end in the quarterfinals. We are getting hungrier and hungrier, we are growing with every game.”
Defender Teddy Lucic was sent off in the 35th minute for two yellow cards, and striker Henrik Larsson couldn’t convert a penalty kick in the 53rd to make matters worse for an overmatched Swedish team.
“We scored two quick goals and that gave us confidence,” Podolski said. “We were lucky with that penalty, but we deserved to win.”
Klinsmann took over the team two years ago, promising to bring Germany its fourth World Cup title. It may not have been an empty promise, although future opponents figure to provide much tougher tests.
The team was maligned before the World Cup after a string of lackluster warmup matches, and many Germans were skeptical of its chances. But the doubters have become believers and euphoric home crowds have lifted Germany’s efforts even more.
“We can be very pleased and proud of our performance,” Klinsmann said. “We wanted to apply a lot of pressure from the start.”
Germany certainly had a flying start. Michael Ballack, having another outstanding match, passed to Klose, who faked two defenders and cut inside, but came down over diving goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson. The ball bounced back to Podolski, who drove it toward the net.
On the second goal, Klose collected a pass just outside the box, drew three defenders and slipped a reverse pass into space for Podolski, who drove a left-footed shot past the goalkeeper in the 12th.
