Germany 4-1 England World Cup 2010 Last 16

Prior to the conclusion of this match, every section of football media around the world heavily used World War I and II (mainly the latter) puns and references. Even yours truly wasn't able to resist such temptations and went on to make a rather direct comparison between World Cup 2010 and World War II. Now, after that result, nobody dares to make one, I am sure. Any attempts to even try to ask a “what if” questions regarding if World War II had ended the way last night's match did or conjure up a scenario of what would happen to the world in an alternate universe, I would just dare to go as far as say that for one, German would have been the international language, and a certain swastika logo would have been everywhere, and for the Asians, they would be speaking in Japanese. Although the sight of pretty girls in sailor uniforms would be a sight to behold, I still shudder to think of such scenarios. Even the Germans and Japanese themselves would shiver thinking about that. So I shall go mainstream and just throw anything related to wars out of the window.

I would love to argue that Germany's comprehensive win against England was not because of the fact that Germany is an all conquering team which is ready to even face an extra terrestrial team had a team UFO landed on earth and challenge us earthlings to a “friendly” match of football. I would love to think that it's all due to the propaganda of the English dominated soccer media of the world. However, it would not be fair to the England team, and especially for Frank Lampard who has managed to control the Jabulani so perfectly and were denied a goal or two because of the crossbar as well as a huge refereeing error in which the time and space seemed to be distorted and overlapped with a certain event in 1966. All of us, especially England fans are entitled to argue that the controversy involving Lampard was the absolute defining point of the match.

At the beginning of the match, Germany were already the much better team and they were 2-0 up within 30 minutes from Klose and Podolski. In both occasions, Germany showed that their “Teamgeist” was certainly there as their passing and off the ball movements were truly mesmerizing and out of this world. The attacks were so swift that they resembled the wicked maneuvers of UFOs that witnesses usually report upon seeing one or a group of them in the sky. However, perhaps it's the natural instinct of any team to shift a gear or two down after they have taken a lead, let alone a comfortable 2-0 lead or perhaps it was simply a sense of urgency for England, they started to strike back and threaten the German goal. They managed to pull one back at the 37th minute when Mathew Upson scored a towering header. Even after that they continued to attack and attack and one minute later was when the a huge controversy occurred. Lampard had shown with his direct free kicks and long shots that he was able to control the much derided Jabulani ball so perfectly and he was only denied from scoring by the crossbar. However, he was to be denied in a spectacular fashion. On a regular England attack, Lampard launched a perfect shot towards goal. What happened was more or less a repeat of the incident in the 1966 World Cup Final between Germany and England in which the England player Geoff Hurst struck the bar, and the ball bounced onto the ground, and bounce out of the goal. The linesman (Tofik Bakhramov, still famous among England fans) and the referee awarded the goal in which grainy replay from that time shows that it did not cross the line. Lampard's shot went pretty much the same way, the only difference was that the ball had entered the goal, in fact it was halfway into the goal, but amazingly it bounced out again and into the safe hands of the German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

To be frank, the ball had entered the net. It should have been a goal. Everyone knows it. For example, I have just seen a joke picture about that goal, and according to that pic (which must have been made by a German), it wasn't a goal because in that pic, the goal line bent so much that it was still behind the ball. But even the person who created that funny photo should know deep in his heart that it was a goal as he simply had to bend the goal line so much so that the ball was still in front of the goal line. It was as obvious as that, that the goal was already scored. This will certainly re-ignite the famous/infamous technology debate in football. However, it is likely that things would go nowhere as FIFA president Sepp Blatter has made it clear that it is such controversies and intense debates after the game that according to him conjures up more passion within the game and makes the game more interesting. But I think something has to be done as referees might receive death threats due to this kind of controversies and might even be forced to retire early sch as what had happened to Andres Frisk just to name one. The long term effects might be dire such as the sport might have too little referees as young potential referees might be too scared to become one due to the controversies and what happened to their predecessors.

Back to the match, despite the controversy, England was still attacking Germany but soon, half time came to Germany's rescue. But nevertheless, the damage had been done to England and the complexion of the match was arguably to be so different had the goal was acknowledged.

Even in the second half, England still dominate and Lampard even hit the bar one more time from his free kick. However, as the half wore on and England committed more and more bodies forward, they were prone to any counterattack. Germany launched an extremely swift, yet another extra terrestrial UFO maneuvers passing from flank to flank led by the tiny but fast Mesut Ozil. It culminated in the young Thomas Muller finishing it beautifully to make it 3-1 for Germany. Just over three minutes later, yet another counterattack initiated by Ozil, another UFO like maneuvers, and again finished by Muller who got to the end of Ozil's cross. 4-1 and certainly England were down and out.

After this goal, Germany simply took off their feet from the pedal and were simply happy to just pass the ball around among them to loud cheers from the Germany fans and that's about it. Since Argentina won 3-1 against Mexico, the next match at the end of this week will be between Argentina and Germany. Yet another big and explosive match, a rematch of the 1990 World Cup final for Maradona and a rematch of 2006 Quarter finals for the players in which they lost to the Germans in the penalty shootout thanks to Lehmann's famous piece of paper containing the shooting habits of the Argentine players.

Had Lampard's goal was counted at that time, it was arguable that the match could have gone on to extra time or even penalties, or considering how England dominated, England might even have pulled off an amazing comeback win after being 2-0 down. But at least, at least for the Germans, the intense and long winded and rather futile debate about the 1966 incident has finally, finally been exorcised with the Lampard incident. Also, it was such a delight to see a great team chemistry in the German team, and that they have more superstars to rise to become world beaters such as Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, and Thomas Muller (who was voted man of the match last night). In 2006, it was players such as Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Lahm and others, now they have yet another set of emerging superstars. A really amazing team with marvelous regenerating prospects. I shudder to think how the new superstars would be like in 2014 but at the moment, Germany will face Argentina, and it will be another explosive match between these two great football nations.

England vs Germany. It has to happen, is it?

If fate is a person, he would be a very funny guy. I mean, picture this situation. You take a stroll around the neighborhood where you are living, then at one point, you meet someone that you know. I know people would classify such unplanned meetings as mere coincidences or pleasant surprise, but none would go as far as classifying it as fate. But picture this, it's quite funny how one could meet one another at that exact same point of time, and both of these guys were at the exact same location without any prior planning? I guess it's safe to say that fate plays a part, at least something resembling that. Well, I know blabbering about that is out of sync with the subject/title, and thus before psychiatrists out there or wannabes start diagnosing me with ADHD or anything of that sort, I'll delve into the topic at hand right away.

Yesterday was when the teams from Group C and Group D in World Cup 2010 were determined whether they continue on fighting in the last 16 of the competition, or simply have to prepare for an early flight back home. Amazingly, events clicked in such a way in the four matches between the two groups that the match between England and Germany was ensured. First up in Group C. With their newly acquired Italian Catenaccio skills, England managed to snatch a 1-0 win over Slovenia while the USA, amazingly scored a last minute goal against Algeria and also won 1-0. This put the USA on top of the group due to goal difference. England finished second in the group. The first part of the events has been fulfilled. In Group D, it was even more dramatic. Germany managed to yet snatch 1-0 win against a fighting Ghana side while in the other match, Serbia lost 2-1 to Australia with a very late equalizer chalked off for offside. This ensured Germany came on top while Ghana go through as the group's runners up. Thus, it means that Germany will meet England in the last 16. What a mouth watering prospect of a match, despite the fact that goals come at a premium in this World Cup. As for Ghana, again fate simply dictated that there have to be at least one African representative remaining past the Group Stages, and the dramatic 2-1 Australia vs Serbia match set that up nicely.

The animosity between England and Germany go a very long way, in football or outside of it. Those inclined in history would start picturing the intense and deadly trench warfare in World War I between the two sides, the “Christmas Truce” and all. Also, in World War II in which the Third Reich bombarded London in a Blitzkrieg campaign, as well as Britain and its Allies strike-back in their own strategic bombing campaigns against Germany. In football, many fans would evoke memories from 1966 when England won its first and so far only World Cup title on home soil by defeating the then West Germany in a very controversial nature especially due to Geoff Hurst's goal which did not cross the line. Fans from both sides are still debating about that goal. Moving forward, in 2002, English fans would keep on reminding their German counterparts about how they thrashed Germany 5-1 in Munich. Those events are basically those I could remember spontaneously at the moment, and there might well be even more animosity between these two nations.

No one had planned this meeting, at least not so early in the competition as most if not every fan had predicted England and Germany finishing top of their respective groups. Even if after two matches in these groups all 4 teams in the respective groups were still able to go through, after all that drama, there wasn't to be a twist of fate. England vs Germany, always a destiny to happen in this World Cup. Now, it's time for fans all over the world, not only English and German fans to start licking their lips over the prospects of this match which is sure to be as explosive as the trench warfare and the Blitzkrieg, but we are all confident that there will be the kind of fair play involved such as the “Christmas Truce” in the aforementioned trench warfare between these two great nations.