IT IS NO LONGER JUST GERMANY’S glorious history that should cause them to be feared. Jürgen Klinsmann’s team are gathering an ominous momentum, with a confluence of factors such as home advantage, improving form and possession of the tournament’s top scorer mounting in their favour. The man once mocked as “Grinsi Klinsi” has made Germany smile again.
Ecuador were dreadful, their lack of interest apparent from the moment the teamsheet arrived showing five changes from their demolition of Costa Rica, but that should not detract from Germany’s impressive performance. Their customary efficiency had added elan in the form of three excellent goals, two of which were finished clinically by Miroslav Klose, who now leads the race for the golden boot. With Lukas Podolski scoring his first of the tournament, it is little wonder that a party atmosphere prevailed in Berlin.
“We know the real World Cup is about to start and we’ve got World Cup fever,” Klinsmann said, encapsulating the mood of a nation. “Our goal was to win the group and we have achieved that with three victories. The team is growing and the mood is very positive. It was fun today, fantastic spectators who gave us marvellous support. The identity of the fans with the national team helps us on and created great feelings.”
Luis Suárez’s feelings were less positive, but at least the Ecuador coach expressed them honestly. With Michael Ballack dominating in midfield and Klose showing subtler skills from the towering target man he resembled at the start of his career, the South Americans were overwhelmed. Having ripped up his team, Suárez was almost as culpable as his players, though with Agustín Delgado and Carlos Tenório, his leading strikers, nursing injuries, he had little choice.
“Germany played a good match but we cannot continue like this,” Suárez said. “We were deficient in defence and that was clear to see. There were three huge mistakes and this cannot continue in a team that wants to stay in a World Cup. Germany were outstanding, but our players were mediocre or less.”
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Germany were certainly outstanding. Having heard the national anthem reverberate loudly while the flags flew around this magnificent stadium, both acceptable acts again in what feels like an increasingly united country, the hosts were inspired to make a suitably rousing start, and did so taking the lead after four minutes.
A well-worked goal was begun by the man who started the party by scoring the first of the tournament 12 days ago, Philipp Lahm, whose ball to Per Mertesacker in the box caused havoc. The centre back showed agility to turn the ball across goal to Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose cross from the byline prompted a neat finish by Klose. If the quick passing was impressive, then the Ecuadorian marking was less so.
As the vast majority of a 72,000 sell-out crowd joined Franz Beckenbauer on their feet, Germany did their best to keep them there, pressing forward for a second, and with Ballack dominant in midfield, it was only a matter of time. Schweinsteiger and Bernd Schneider also impressed on the flanks, keeping the ball well and providing wonderful service to Klose which could have yielded even more goals.
After going close himself with a long-range effort, Ballack created the second after 44 minutes with an outstanding piece of skill. With several defenders blocking his path to goal, he released Klose via a beautiful flick with the outside of his right foot, watching with delight as his team-mate out-muscled Geovanny Espinoza before rounding Cristian Mora.
The second half was rendered little more than a Germany training session. The biggest surprise was that Ballack stayed on the pitch as another booking would have ruled him out of the next round.
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The one significant development could be the increased confidence of Podolski, who, after several invitations, finally ended his run of four matches without a goal. Klose’s numerous lectures may finally be paying off — having been chastised by his strike partner during the build-up to the match, it became clear why as Podolski spurned a series of chances, but his goal was worth waiting for at the end of another flowing move.
Schweinsteiger released Schneider in the 57th minute with a perfectly weighted through-pass, Podolski meeting the ensuing right-wing cross with a sumptuous left-foot flick.
With Ecuador wishing for the final whistle, Germany could have had even more. Ballack was denied the reward his performance deserved by a smart save from Mora, though he will not be too unhappy. For Germany to have reached the last 16 without a single goal from their inspirational captain can only be highly encouraging.
REFEREE: Valentin Ivanov (Russia) 3
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ATTENDANCE: 72,000
ECUADOR: Subs: C Lara (for Valencia, 63min), P Urrutia (for Ayovi, 68), C Benítez (for Borja, 46). Not used: S Castillo, A Delgado, I Hurtado, D Lanza, J Perlaza, N Reasco, L Saritama, C Tenório, E Villafuerte
GERMANY: Subs: T Borowski
(for Frings, 66), G Asamoah (for Schneider, 72), O Neuville (for Klose, 66), L Podolski. Not used: M Hanke, T Hildebrand, T Hitzlsperger, M Jansen, O Kahn, S Kehl, C Metzelder, J Nowotny, D Odonkor. Booked: Borowski