Expectations were there and were fulfilled. It was the day
for Germany and it was the day for Argentina – based on their performances –
and thankfully, the luck factor has not much to talk about – there had to be a
winner – and we have the winner now, in Germany – the 4th World Cup
Crown to the European team – the first team to snatch the victory and the World
Cup title in a South American nation.
There were no dull moments. There is nothing slack on the
moves to talk about. The First Half was brilliant. The Second Half was equally
brilliant. The Extra Time was brilliant as well.
There were Messi and Muller and other moments in the first
half and there were rush to score and grab the ball. There were two Yellow
Cards in quick succession. The goalkeepers were on the job. The defence line
was on the job. The attack was as sharp as expected. Moves were made, chances
were created and chances were blocked. The flow continued and bettered it in
the Second Half.
By the Half Time - the Argentine jersey, the Blue and the German
jersey, the White – had given us the Game that was bright - on a Beautiful Bight
– of the World Cup 2014 final --
The game had the elements it needed to have - the Messi,
the Klose, the Muller, the Romero moments and the Neuer moments leading the
pack of the moves to tune the moods – with good one-on-one and team
performances - the heat was on and going up on a day when it rained heavily,
here in India, in my city, blessing the maddening Delhi heat.
But the Second Half was the similar story as the First
Half with no goal on the scoreboard. And the regular time of 90 minutes was
over soon. It was a brilliant fight so far.
Messi led the pack of star performers but it was about the
overall team-show of the former world champions that made this game memorable -
a must watch match met the level of the game it needed - a world class World Cup
match justifying it's World Cup Final opportunity.
It was over to the Extra Time now with the score 0-0 – but
without any dull moment. Thanks Germany,
thanks Argentina
- yes, the commentator said - 'no body could find here goal, not even Messi'. And
even if not thinking about, the thoughts of a Penalty Shootout end started
making inroads. Thankfully, it didn’t come to it.
Argentina had close chance in the 7th
minute of the Extra Time but Palacio could not control it and the score
remained 0-0 at the end of the First Extra. The Penalty Shootout end was just
15 minutes away but then Mario Gotze happened. The winning goal, an earned
World Cup winning goal, by Mario Gotze, the 22-year old substitute (the first
substitute to score a goal in a World Cup final) in the 9th minute
of the Second Extra and the 114th minute of the match gave Germans
what they needed – a goal to defend for the next 6 minutes or so – and they
successfully defended it – in the similar circumstances, Argentina would have
been able to do the same yesterday – anyway, Germany were going to win and they
won it with the final whistle blown. Expectations from Messi’s free kick in the
117th minute couldn’t change it. The ultimate Messi moment didn't
come.
So, Germany
are the new World Champions of the Beautiful Game now.
The high point here is no one was the lesser rival - one
had to win and one won - so, Germany created history by becoming the 1st
European side to win the World Cup in South American country, and that too, in
Brazil, with its 4th FIFA World Cup Crown - welcome champions – what
a game it was - thanks Germany – thanks Argentina – and thanks FIFA for the
World Cup 2014 - thanks for memorable 32 days since June 12 and the brilliant
culmination on July 13 (July 14 India time).
©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com