Germany, the defending world champs lose 2-0 to South Korea, finish last
in their group and fail to qualify for the round of 16!
in their group and fail to qualify for the round of 16!
By: Adamo Marinelli
June 27th, 2018
This game was the most stunning upset in World Cup history! Well, at the very least, the most
stunning upset in the 2018 World Cup.
stunning upset in the 2018 World Cup.
After Sweden beat Mexico 3-0, in dominant fashion this afternoon, Germany needed a win of
any margin to leapfrog Mexico of second place in the group behind Sweden, first place finishers of
Group F.
any margin to leapfrog Mexico of second place in the group behind Sweden, first place finishers of
Group F.
This would send Mexico and South Korea home despite Mexico’s amazing performance in the
2018 World Cup which includes winning both of their first two group matches and would advance
Sweden and Germany to the knockout stage.
2018 World Cup which includes winning both of their first two group matches and would advance
Sweden and Germany to the knockout stage.
Instead, Germany’s 2-0 loss to South Korea gave Sweden the help they needed after a dominant
win of their own to capture first place in the division, and Mexico second place in the division because
of a higher goal difference than Germany. Now, Germany’s World Cup will end in stunning fashion
and they will fail to qualify for the round of 16 for the first time in their history. They will also become
the third straight defending World Cup champion and fourth defending champion in the past five
World Cups to not qualify for the round of 16 in the next World Cup joining the likes of France in
2002, Italy in 2010 and Spain in 2014. The only team to qualify for the next round of 16 after winning
the previous World Cup was Brazil qualifying for the 2006 round of 16 after winning the 2002 World
Cup.
win of their own to capture first place in the division, and Mexico second place in the division because
of a higher goal difference than Germany. Now, Germany’s World Cup will end in stunning fashion
and they will fail to qualify for the round of 16 for the first time in their history. They will also become
the third straight defending World Cup champion and fourth defending champion in the past five
World Cups to not qualify for the round of 16 in the next World Cup joining the likes of France in
2002, Italy in 2010 and Spain in 2014. The only team to qualify for the next round of 16 after winning
the previous World Cup was Brazil qualifying for the 2006 round of 16 after winning the 2002 World
Cup.
The game was 0-0 at the half. The two teams were evenly matched. Once Sweden scored to
make it 1-0, Germany knew they had to win as well to get second place in the group behind Sweden.
So they turned on the pressure. The Germans had plenty of chances but they couldn’t capitalize.
Germany had just under 70% of the possession throughout the match and caused South Korea to
always be on their feet, had attempted about three times more passes than Korea, had completed
just above three and a half times more passes than South Korea with a pass accuracy of 88%
compared to Korea’s 74% and had 26 shot attempts, with six on target compared to Korea’s 11
attempts with only five on target. Korea had the better accuracy to total shots ratio, but Germany
created more offensive chances with their excellent midfield (at least in 2014) that just
underperformed in the 2018 World Cup led by Toni Kroos. Yet they still couldn’t capitalize and win
this game, even if they were the favourites to do so.
make it 1-0, Germany knew they had to win as well to get second place in the group behind Sweden.
So they turned on the pressure. The Germans had plenty of chances but they couldn’t capitalize.
Germany had just under 70% of the possession throughout the match and caused South Korea to
always be on their feet, had attempted about three times more passes than Korea, had completed
just above three and a half times more passes than South Korea with a pass accuracy of 88%
compared to Korea’s 74% and had 26 shot attempts, with six on target compared to Korea’s 11
attempts with only five on target. Korea had the better accuracy to total shots ratio, but Germany
created more offensive chances with their excellent midfield (at least in 2014) that just
underperformed in the 2018 World Cup led by Toni Kroos. Yet they still couldn’t capitalize and win
this game, even if they were the favourites to do so.
The most crucial miss by Germany was in the 87th minute, at which point Mexico was trailing
Sweden 3-0 and Germany just needed to score one goal to break a deadlock 0-0 tie to win the
game and advance to the knockout stages but a beautiful cross was headed above and wide right
of the net and wide to by a German forward Mario Gomez and the game stayed 0-0.
Sweden 3-0 and Germany just needed to score one goal to break a deadlock 0-0 tie to win the
game and advance to the knockout stages but a beautiful cross was headed above and wide right
of the net and wide to by a German forward Mario Gomez and the game stayed 0-0.
The 90 minutes expired. There were 6 minutes of stoppage time awarded. It almost seemed like
FIFA wanted Germany to win. It’s like they were biased in favour of Germany. But in the third
minute of stoppage time, a miracle happened.
FIFA wanted Germany to win. It’s like they were biased in favour of Germany. But in the third
minute of stoppage time, a miracle happened.
In the 3rd minute of stoppage time, off a Korea corner, the ball was centred with a volley just in
front of the six-yard box. The player who received it passed it to a wide-open Younggwon Kim, a
defender inside the six-yard box, who potted it past Neuer, the German goalkeeper for the one-goal
lead in the 93rd minute of play.
front of the six-yard box. The player who received it passed it to a wide-open Younggwon Kim, a
defender inside the six-yard box, who potted it past Neuer, the German goalkeeper for the one-goal
lead in the 93rd minute of play.
Surely then, everyone knew Germany was going to be eliminated as they needed to win this
game and weren’t going to score two goals in the last three minutes. But of course, it wasn’t over.
In the 6th minute of extra time, the German goalkeeper Neuer who was involved in a Germany
attack in the Korea half, lost the ball to a Korean centre-back who hoofed it down the field and it
was Son Heung-min, a left forward who eventually caught up the ball after out-speeding the German
defender and he put it in the net to increase the Korean’s lead to 2-0 in the 96th minute of play.
game and weren’t going to score two goals in the last three minutes. But of course, it wasn’t over.
In the 6th minute of extra time, the German goalkeeper Neuer who was involved in a Germany
attack in the Korea half, lost the ball to a Korean centre-back who hoofed it down the field and it
was Son Heung-min, a left forward who eventually caught up the ball after out-speeding the German
defender and he put it in the net to increase the Korean’s lead to 2-0 in the 96th minute of play.
Four more minutes of stoppage time were played in which Germany had one more chance but
they missed the net wide left. The game ended after 103 minutes were played due to the 90 minutes
of regular time, three minutes of first-half stoppage time and 10 minutes of second-half stoppage
time.
they missed the net wide left. The game ended after 103 minutes were played due to the 90 minutes
of regular time, three minutes of first-half stoppage time and 10 minutes of second-half stoppage
time.
The man of the match was definitely the Korean keeper Cho Hyunwoo who despite facing 26
shot attempts and six shots on goal from the German squad, he saved everything that came his
way and made most of those saves in stunning fashion and some of those saves in the clutch to
keep the game 0-0 and the last save he made kept Korea’s 1-0 lead still alive. He played his heart
out and he will always remember this game. Gianluigi Buffon would have been proud.
shot attempts and six shots on goal from the German squad, he saved everything that came his
way and made most of those saves in stunning fashion and some of those saves in the clutch to
keep the game 0-0 and the last save he made kept Korea’s 1-0 lead still alive. He played his heart
out and he will always remember this game. Gianluigi Buffon would have been proud.
This wasn’t the first time Germany lost in Russia, but at least this time, their military wasn’t
annihilated by the Russian winter!
annihilated by the Russian winter!
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