Life & Beyond : GERMANY VS ARGENTINA: BEAUTIFUL END TO BEAUTIFUL GAME’S WORLD CUP

Monday 14 July 2014

GERMANY VS ARGENTINA: BEAUTIFUL END TO BEAUTIFUL GAME’S WORLD CUP

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 4^th 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 7^th 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 9^th minute of the Second Extra and the 114^th 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 117^th 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 4^th 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).