2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - Predictions/Discussions/Updates

[Angra]

Originally Posted by _____V_____

105 minutes and no goals. Exciting match so far.

Someone send Angra and Zwoti to play for Argentina, and let's have that winning goal already!

Your opinion of what is entertainment is horrendous, V.

[MichaelMyers]

Originally Posted by _____V_____

105 minutes and no goals. Exciting match so far.

V not the best way to describe a scoreless tie to an American forum. Congrats to the Germans. Well fought game today and odds-on favorites to repeat in 2018. I'll check back in on soccer then!

[_____V_____]

Final Scoreline for Match 64 (THE FINAL):

GERMANY - 1
(Gotze 113')


ARGENTINA - 0

Don't be fooled by that scoreline. It could have ended 5-3 Argentina in normal time, if things had gone the way they should have. Fantastic, fast, aggressive and furious soccer - just the way a World Cup Final should be.

Argentina really upped their game to match the Germans shot for shot, which itself says a huge thing about their game. In fact, in the first half of normal time, it was the Latin Americans who were dominating the crucial parts of the game. 3 attempts in the first 10 minutes which were narrowly close to the German Goal meant that Germany were already on the backfoot. Gonzalo Higuain missed a great chance to make it 1-0 when he was spoonfed the ball by a shocking bit of German defense but he failed to convert it, his over-excited shot going wide. He did find the net in the 32nd minute through a superb sequence of attacking soccer, but the flag was raised. 8 minutes later, Lionel Messi caught the entire German defense napping and almost went all the way, before he overran the ball and Neuer, Germany's keeper, grabbed it. Only a few minutes later, a nicely curved corner shot saw Schuurle rattle the Argentinian goal post. First half ended 0-0, while it might have been 3-1 in Argentina's favor.

The second half started with promise as Argentina attacked almost immediately. The Germans were clearly rattled as they started their bad-mouthing and foul-making tactics after that. Sergio Aguero came in and was instrumental in 2 wonderful attacks on goal, but still no cigar for the Latinas. A few minutes later, Messi missed another fantastic chance to score when his shot went inches past the goal. Could have been 4-1, but it was still 0-0. Gonzalo Higuain again found a superbly passed ball, but was punched/kicked out of possession by Neuer just inside the box. No foul, said the referee, and Higuain punched the air in absolute frustration. By this time, the energies of almost all players had been sapped, and desperation had started to creep in. Higuain was swapped by Palacio in the 75th minute, and the move almost paid off in extra time. Really, it was an example of missed chances by Argentina for the most part of the game. Two close chances by Germany towards the end of regular time meant that the full-time scoreline still read 0-0, when it could have been 4-3.

Palacio's effort might have made it 5-3, or 1-0, whichever way you look at it, yet it remained 0-0. The first half of extra time again yielded no goals, and it seemed like the team who would keep their wits about them, between tiring limbs and weary thought-processes, would win. Aguero was lucky to escape a 2nd yellow (and subsequent red) card when he elbowed Schweinsteiger so badly his cheek burst open and the german oozed blood everywhere. But, as if the pitch was waiting for a blood offering, the deadlock between both teams was broken just a few minutes later. The 113th minute of this fantastic match saw Mario Gotze convert a wonderfully gifted Thomas Muller pass into a goal which he would be telling his kids, grandkids and the entire world for generations to come. In that one telling moment, the chalks were drawn. It was a great pass, and an equally fantastically angled shot which had Romero completely beaten.

Germany 1 - Argentina 0.

The whole of Argentina (and it's fans) prayed feverishly when Lionel Messi got one final chance through a free kick in the final minute of added time, but clearly the pressure of expectations of millions weighed badly on the Tendulkar of soccer's shoulders, and the master of free kicks hit the ball too high, much above the German goal.

And then the final whistle blew.

Argentinians were inconsolable, and must be sobbing all through the night. How close they came to scoring again and again, and would be ruing their missed chances all through the night. They had upped their game considerably and had put up one hell of a fight, but in the end, the one solitary number went against them.

But the moment belonged to the Germans. They had dominated the entire tournament and were deserved and worthy winners of the FIFA World Cup 2014. Mario Gotze must be the most trending individual on all social platforms, as Germany celebrated by lifting the Cup for the 4th time.

Lionel Messi was awarded the Golden Ball (as a consolation, most probably), while German super-goalkeeper Manuel Neuer won the Golden Glove. Colombia's fantastically talented young superstar, James Rodriguez, won the Golden Boot and deservedly so.

And so, the FIFA World Cup 2014 comes to a close.

Until Russia 2018, folks!