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Miroslav Klose comes on to rescue Germany from defeat by Ghana Miroslav Klose comes on to rescue Germany from defeat by Ghana
(about 17 hours later)
The validity of Kevin-Prince Boateng’s claim that Germany lack leaders when the pressure is on will be revealed in time. In the searing heat of Fortaleza they lacked the incisiveness and steel that shaped their destruction of Portugal, but not the time-honoured precision of Miroslav Klose. The 36-year-old climbed off the bench to join Ronaldo as the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer as Joachim Löw’s team survived an almighty scare by Ghana and the World Cup was treated to yet another enthralling classic. The validity of Kevin-Prince Boateng’s claim that Germany lack leaders when the pressure is on will be revealed in time. In the searing heat of Fortaleza, and with pressure mounting against Ghana, Joachim Löw’s team showed what they do possess in abundance; spirit, resolve and a constant supply of World Cup goals from Miroslav Klose. Still scoring and still somersaulting at 36, Klose became the joint leading goalscorer in World Cup history after saving Germany in this enthralling classic.Africa finally has a tale of redemption in Brazil, though Ghana believed they could have had more from a breathless encounter. As did Germany. Both sides traded breaks and chances in a dramatic second half – “It was an open exchange of punches,” described Löw – and finished exhausted. Bloodied in Thomas Müller’s case following a clash of heads with commanding Ghana defender John Boye. A fitting end.We were spoiled with a piece of football history too. Klose was summonsed from the bench with 19 minutes remaining and Germany trailing to Asamoah Gyan’s fifth goal at a World Cup finals, equalling the record for an African nation set by Roger Milla. The veteran went one better. Within two minutes he stuck out a boot to convert Benedikt Hüwedes’ flick-on from a Toni Kroos corner, a true poacher’s instinct, for his 15th goal on the World Cup stage. Only Ronaldo has scored as many. Only Pelé, Uwe Seeler and now Klose have scored in four different tournaments.“It is sensational for his career,” said Germany’s coach. “He’s had a difficult season (with Lazio) and been injured a few times but it’s great for a coach to have a player on the bench like that who you know can make a decisive contribution at any moment. He did that and it was a great moment for him, for the team and for me as well.” Löw needed the intervention.Germany lacked execution at key moments, mainly in the dying stages and with excellent Ghana defending also responsible, and will need to improve their accuracy and tempo against their former coach Jürgen Klinsmann and USA in Recife on Thursday.With 12,000 Germany supporters present and the locals rooting for Ghana there was a raucous atmosphere inside Estàdio Castelão and an intensity to match on the pitch. Particularly from "the Black Stars".Ghana’s Boateng, when not seeking to rile the country he represented at every youth level from 15 to 21, predicted a gladiatorial combat worthy of ancient Rome. “There will be people around the pitch who want to see how two teams fight,” said the Schalke player, whose brotherly dual against Jérôme ended with early substitutions for the pair, Ghana’s for tactical reasons and Germany’s for a hip injury. “We will fight to the death against Germany.” They did not disappoint on that score, producing a more accomplished, energetic and determined performance than in their opening defeat against the USA.Christian Atsu and Sulley Muntari, who will be suspended for the final group game against Portugal, tested Manuel Neuer from distance in the first half. Mesut Özil ensured Germany had their moments and Boye intervened superbly to deny Kroos and Müller, but played within themselves before the interval due to the oppressive heat. All of that changed in the second half.Drama suddenly flowed through the game when Müller swept an inch-perfect cross over from the right, a fraction above the unfortunate Boye, and Mario Götze steered the ball beyond Fatawu Dauda with a combination of head and knee. The breakthrough sparked a one-man pitch invasion but he had not been escorted to the security services when Ghana drew level in imperious fashion.Harrison Afful delivered a glorious cross from the right and André Ayew rose above Boateng’s replacement, Shkodran Mustafi to steer a stunning header into the bottom corner of Neuer’s goal. Relief turned to ecstasy for Ghana nine minutes later when Philipp Lahm of all people gave away possession to Muntari. The midfielder released Gyan behind the clearly unfit Mats Hummels and, with an emphatic finish beyond Germany’s goalkeeper, Ghana had the lead. The noise inside the stadium was deafening.They could, and should, have increased the advantage when Jordan Ayew escaped down the left but chose the selfish option instead of squaring to the unmarked Gyan and shot straight at Neuer. Andre Ayew was inches away from connecting with another inviting cross into the area.
Africa has a tale of World Cup redemption in Brazil at last, though Ghana know they could have had much more. They led impressively, deservedly with 19 minutes remaining and Germany running short of options. Löw opted for a trusted source, 14-goal Klose. The record-equalling No15 arrived within moments of his introduction to salvage a point for a Germany side that, for all Löw’s pre-match warnings, could not avoid the second-game syndrome that has afflicted so many teams in Brazil. Now they must gain a positive result against their former manager Jürgen Klinsmann and the USA in Recife on Thursday to advance. Germany usually do but they were unable to silence Kevin-Prince Boateng’s accusation as they had intended. Löw called for his rescue act and 112 seconds later Klose delivered with his first touch of the game. Müller, Özil and Klose all had openings to have sealed a remarkable comeback but that would have been cruel on Ghana. And more than enough drama for one night.
With 12,000 Germany supporters present and the locals rooting for Ghana there was a raucous atmosphere inside Estádio Castelão and an intensity to match on the pitch. Particularly from the Black Stars. Was that fun or hell, Löw was asked after the game. “It was both,” he replied. “For the spectators it must have been fascinating to see such an intense and fast game with sheer drama, tension, excitement and two teams just running at each other and trying to win. You could feel that. It was high drama back and forth. As a coach, I would have wished that when we had a set piece or a counter that we had more luck. We also had we had lots of goalscoring opportunities that we did not take. It was like being on a see-saw, going up and down.”
Ghana’s Boateng, when not seeking to rile the country he represented at every youth level from 15 to 21, had predicted a gladiatorial combat worthy of ancient Rome. There will be people around the pitch who want to see how two teams fight,” said the Schalke player, recalled to the starting lineup after voicing his disapproval at being a substitute for the defeat by the USA. “We will fight to the death against Germany.”
This was a far more accomplished, energetic and determined performance from Ghana than they produced in their opening contest against the USA. Not that Germany were by any means second best as they attempted to overcome Ghana’s defensive strength and temperatures that reached 33 degrees centigrade before kick off.
Mesut Özil was distraught when substituted in the 4-0 trouncing of Portugal but clearly unaffected by the disappointment. Özil’s vision engineered several openings for Germany but the central defender John Boye read their intentions instinctively in the first half. A flowing move down the Ghana left saw Özil cross for Müller who rolled the ball behind him for the unmarked Toni Kroos. Boye threw himself into a vital block and later produced a sublime tackle on Müller as the striker looked certain to capitalise on another well-worked attack down Germany’s right. Jérôme Boateng sent Götze clear with a fine ball down the line, Götze centred into the six-yard box and Müller must have sensed his fourth goal of the World Cup. Boye’s boot arrived first to keep the Bayern Munich striker level with Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Karim Benzema and Enner Valencia on three.
Müller’s assist count rose as the contest got the drama it required at the start of the second half. And some. More patient buildup play from Germany ended with the striker sweeping an inch-perfect cross over from the right, a fraction above the unfortunate Boye, towards Götze, who steered the ball beyond Fatau Dauda with a combination of head and knee.
The breakthrough sparked a one-man pitch invasion but he had not been escorted to the security services when Ghana drew level in imperious fashion.
Jérôme Boateng had been replaced by the late call-up Shkodran Mustafi at half-time and Kevin-Prince made way for Jordan Ayew moments later. The removal of the Boateng brothers’ sub-plot merely improved the tale as Harrison Afful delivered a glorious cross from the right and André Ayew rose above Mustafi to steer a stunning header into the bottom corner of Manuel Neuer’s goal.
Relief turned to ecstasy for Ghana nine minutes later when Philipp Lahm of all people gave away possession to Muntari. The midfielder immediately released Gyan behind the creaking Hummels and, with an emphatic finish beyond Germany’s goalkeeper, Ghana had the lead.
They could, and should, have increased the advantage when Jordan Ayew escaped down the left but chose the selfish option instead of squaring to the unmarked Gyan and shot straight at Neuer. André Ayew was inches away from connecting with another inviting cross into the area.
Löw called for his rescue act, Klose, and within two minutes the rescue act had delivered. Benedikt Höwedes flicked on Kroos’s corner at the near post and there was the veteran goalscorer to prod over the line from two yards at the back. It was practically his first touch of the evening but a moment of history that he will never forget and Germany were left thankful for.