Germany inflict heavy 4-0 defeat on Argentina enters semi-finals
|
Germany's defender Arne Friedrich (front) celebrates after
scoring the team's third goal against Argentina during the 2010
World Cup quarterfinal football match at Green Point stadium in
Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday. AFP
|
Germany steamrollered Argentina 4-0 on Saturday to reach the World
Cup semi-finals with goals from Thomas Mueller, a brace from Miroslav
Klose, winning his 100th cap, and Arne Friedrich seeing off Diego
Maradona's men.
Three-times Germany now face either Spain or Paraguay in the last
four with Uruguay meeting Holland in the other semi-final. Mueller, who
picked up a booking to rule him out of the semi, nodded in a Bastian
Schweinsteiger free-kick after just three minutes.
Although Lionel Messi strove to raise the Argentinians the Germans
continued to dominate as Klose tapped in after Mueller combined with
Lukas Podolski on 68 minutes. With Chancellor Angela Merkel watching in
the stands, Friedrich added the third with his first for his country in
the 74th minute after a surging run and pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Klose volleyed home the fourth in the 89th minute as an outplayed
Argentina disintegrated to notch his 14th World Cup goal, level with
German legend Gerd Mueller and just one behind record holder Ronaldo.
Cape Town -afp
|
