Substitute Oliver Neuville scored a stoppage time winner as host nation Germany moved to the brink of qualifying for the second round of World Cup with a 1-0 win over Poland in Dortmund on Wednesday.
Germany had spurned countless chances, with their Polish-born
strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski the main guilty parties, but Neuville popped up to score in the second minute of stoppage time, sliding in David Odonkor's cross.
It was heartbreak for Poland, who had been reduced to ten men in
the final quarter hour, and who are virtually out of the tournament after successive defeats.
Klose said the Germans had had to show commendable patience
before their breakthrough. "We always believed in ourselves and in the end we got the breakthrough as one chance finally went in" , said Klose: "You have to be patient. We had enough chances but luck was not on our side. However, we kept on plugging away and it paid off."
Skipper Michael Ballack said the team deserved a pat no the back
for its persistence. "It was a good performance by the team as we kept on putitng them under pressure. We controlled the game well in the first half and produced a number of chances," said the captain: "The fact we got a late goal may seem lucky, but it was wholly deserved."
Germany had their first of many chances in the 21st minute when
Philipp Lahm delivered a perfect cross with his weaker left foot
but Klose, scorer of two goals against Costa Rica, headed narrowly wide of the post.
As the first half progressed Ballack, back after missing the
Costa Rica win with a calf injury, got a stranglehold on the match and Podolski missed a glorious chance on the stroke of half-time. With the goal at his mercy Podolski, the new golden boy of German football, sliced his effort wide of the target.
Five minutes into the second half it was more suffering as Klose
failed to connect with a Ballack cross and his header trickled
wide. Poland were on the ropes but a Ballack back pass almost put in Ebi Smolarek, who plays on this ground for Borussia Dortmund, but Jens Lehmann read the danger.
Polish midfielder Radoslaw Soboloweski did not watch his,
collecting a second yellow on 75 minutes for a body check.
Germany pushed on and hit the crossbar twice before Neuville
took the roof off with a last-gasp strike.
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Substitute Oliver Neuville scored a stoppage time winner as host nation Germany moved to the brink of qualifying for the second round of World Cup with a 1-0 win over Poland in Dortmund on Wednesday.
Germany had spurned countless chances, with their Polish-born
strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski the main guilty parties, but Neuville popped up to score in the second minute of stoppage time, sliding in David Odonkor's cross.
It was heartbreak for Poland, who had been reduced to ten men in
the final quarter hour, and who are virtually out of the tournament after successive defeats.
Klose said the Germans had had to show commendable patience
before their breakthrough. "We always believed in ourselves and in the end we got the breakthrough as one chance finally went in" , said Klose: "You have to be patient. We had enough chances but luck was not on our side. However, we kept on plugging away and it paid off."
Skipper Michael Ballack said the team deserved a pat no the back
for its persistence. "It was a good performance by the team as we kept on putitng them under pressure. We controlled the game well in the first half and produced a number of chances," said the captain: "The fact we got a late goal may seem lucky, but it was wholly deserved."
Germany had their first of many chances in the 21st minute when
Philipp Lahm delivered a perfect cross with his weaker left foot
but Klose, scorer of two goals against Costa Rica, headed narrowly wide of the post.
As the first half progressed Ballack, back after missing the
Costa Rica win with a calf injury, got a stranglehold on the match and Podolski missed a glorious chance on the stroke of half-time. With the goal at his mercy Podolski, the new golden boy of German football, sliced his effort wide of the target.
Five minutes into the second half it was more suffering as Klose
failed to connect with a Ballack cross and his header trickled
wide. Poland were on the ropes but a Ballack back pass almost put in Ebi Smolarek, who plays on this ground for Borussia Dortmund, but Jens Lehmann read the danger.
Polish midfielder Radoslaw Soboloweski did not watch his,
collecting a second yellow on 75 minutes for a body check.
Germany pushed on and hit the crossbar twice before Neuville
took the roof off with a last-gasp strike.
