Night of madness at the German World Cup party

By Barry Whelan Jul 1, 2006, 11:59 GMT

German supporters celebrate on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg after Germany defeated Argentina in the quarter final of the FIFA World Cup 2006, Friday 30 June 2006. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS

Berlin - Germany's new verve and old predictability proved an unbeatable combination in overcoming Argentina to set up a semi- final confrontation with Italy in Dortmund on Tuesday.

The old-style Germany came to the fore on a tense evening in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

A goal down in the 49th minute, the home team fought back in tried and trusted fashion to equalize through Miroslav Klose's close-range header 10 minutes from time.

Then the game went to penalties - and there could be little further doubt. Germany just don't lose on penalties. It's one of the first rules of football, as everyone knows.

German sides had won all their shoot-outs at previous World Cups, and this time it was to be no different. The German players calmly slotted their spot kicks away while Argentina got the jitters when faced with Jens Lehmann in goal.

For the spectator in the stadium or the viewer watching on television, it was then an immediate case of information overload.

Things then went slightly haywire as German players and officials galloped across the pitch in the direction of the goal. Punches and kicks appeared to be thrown in a midfield melee - a bit of Argy bargy as the case may be - while in the stands Chancellor Angela Merkel was hugging Franz Beckenbauer, the just-married president of the World Cup organizing committee.

More incredibly, reserve keeper Oliver Kahn appeared to be hugging his old enemy Lehmann, and smiling. That's how mad it was.

A slight footnote - or leg note - for World Cup historians here: Lehmann had reportedly inserted a note in his shinpads telling him in which corner of the goal the Argentinian players preferred to shoot.

The Germans are thus ever well-prepared. The truth was though there was little evidence of their fresh attacking style on the night. The game was too tense for that, and Argentina were in command for much of the first half without threatening the German goal.

The second half was something of a disaster for the South Americans, and for that the finger of blame points to coach Jose Pekerman. Only the coach knows why he took off his playmaker Jose Riquelme with some 20 minutes remaining, and then sent out a further negative signal by replacing striker Hernan Crespo with Julio Cruz rather than the young and hungry Lionel Messi.

One sensed a sigh of relief in the German camp. No more Riquelme to shadow in midfield, no Messi to run at a tired defence. Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann had more fortune - or was simply cannier - with his substitutions.

David Odonkor provided speed down the right to test captain Juan Sorin, while Tim Borowski headed on Michael Ballack's cross to set up Klose's equalizer. Both Borowski and Oliver Neuville - on later for Klose - scored in the penalty shoot-out. Argentina's Estaban Cambiasso, who replaced Riquelme, was one of the penalty missers.

Klinsmann is doing no wrong at this World Cup. It seems that everything he touches turns to gold. A one-way ticket back to his home in California is looking increasingly unlikely.

The search starts meanwhile in Argentina for a new coach following Pekerman's resignation in a hugely disappointing end to what had been such a promising World Cup campaign.