Germany's immaculate record of always qualifying from the initial group stages of a World Cup remained intact last night as they set up a last-16 match with England in Bloemfontein on Sunday. But Fabio Capello will surely have been encouraged by a number of defensive lapses from Joachim Löw's side – as well as Germany's central midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger clutching his thigh on the sidelines after being substituted in the second half.
One goal, from the excellent Mesut Ozil, was enough to ensure that Germany topped Group D and, with Serbia losing to Australia, there were smiles all round Soccer City as Ghana became the first African team to qualify for the last 16. They will play the USA in Rustenburg on Saturday.
When the game kicked off, it immediately created history as Ghana's Kevin-Prince Boateng and Germany's Jérôme Boateng – who share the same father but have different mothers – became the first brothers to have played on opposing sides in a full international.
Jérôme Boateng was one of two changes to Löw's side, the other being Cacau, who replaced the suspended Miroslav Klose. Ghana, meanwhile, brought back their captain, John Mensah, who missed the team's second match with Australia through injury.
Beforehand the Ghana coach, Milovan Rajevac, had claimed his team would be happy with a goalless draw – a result that would ensure they became the first African team to reach the knockout stages in this World Cup. But after the early sparring, his team often gave as good as they got.
Germany made the faster start and created their first chance as early as the third minute when Cacau, playing as a lone striker in Löw's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, tested the fingers of Richard Kingson from a wide angle. And the goalkeeper had to be sharp again to tip wide shortly afterwards when Jonathan Mensah turned Lukas Podolski's cross goalwards.
Ghana were often content to sit back and soak up the pressure, especially early on, but repeatedly troubled Germany's back four when they pushed forward. Twice Germany were exposed down the right flank by André Ayew, with Schweinsteiger having to sprint back to tackle Asamoah Gyan as he lined up to shoot and Arne Friedrich having to make a diving clearance with Gyan lurking.
Germany continued to have more possession, and should have gone ahead when Mesut Ozil was played clean through by Cacau on 22 minutes – only for Kingson to advance rapidly and sprawl his body in front of Germany's playmaker to block. But Ghana immediately went up the other end and, from a corner, Gyan's header was cleared off the line by Lahm.
In what was turning out to be a wide open game, Kingson again had to save smartly just before half-time when he pushed away Schweinsteiger's free-kick at the back post after it had eluded everyone.
Immediately after half-time the brittleness of Germany's defence was almost exposed again when a long thump forward was flicked on by Gyan into Kwadwo Asamoah's path. The midfielder was clean through, but did not quite connect correctly with his shot and the onrushing Manuel Neuer was able to save.
Shortly afterwards Ghana switched to five at the back in an attempt to stop Germany working the ball down the flanks. It was almost an open invitation for Löw's side to push even more men forward, and they did so. From the right Müller slipped a pass across to Ozil, who looked up before hitting the football equivalent of a baseball slider high into the net. It was one of the goals of the tournament and the relief among Löw and his squad was immense.
Ghana, however, were far from finished. They almost equalised immediately when Ayew's back-post cross was headed goalwards by Prince Tagoe, only to be blocked by Jérôme Boateng. And an even better move, 10 minutes later, with Gyan backheeling to Ayew, looked to have given Ghana a central shooting opportunity only for Lahm to dash across from the right to make a desperate block.
When news came through that Australia had scored two second-half goals against Serbia both teams knew they were in the box seat regarding qualification, and the intensity of the game dulled. Few chances were created in the final 20 minutes as they settled for what they had. Kingson – who rarely gets a game for Wigan Athletic – perhaps showed why when he saved awkwardly from Cacau's long-range effort while Sulley Muntari shot high over the bar four minutes from time.
But the smiles and warm handshakes afterwards suggested both teams were content with their night's work.
© Guardian News and Media 2010
