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WC MOTD: Argentina 0-1 Germany

By on July 13, 2014

Four years ago and four days ago Andres Iniesta smashed a volley into the back of the net in the hundred-and-seventeenth minute of Spain’s meeting with the Netherlands. It was the winner of the World Cup 2010 final. It was thrilling for one party, and heartbreaking for the other – the Dutch would almost definitely rather lost at the hand of penalties.

Four years on, some things have not changed. Mario Gotze tucked a brilliant volley into the back of the net one-hundred-and-twelve minutes into the World Cup final to bag the only goal and winner of the match. Argentina would surely have rather lost on penalties. Yet, for while we saw a violent and tight, tense match of football from the kickoff whistle in 2010, we saw a brilliant, open match of football tonight. It was a fitting World Cup final – featuring everything, from missed sitters to late winners to big saves. The match was open, flowing, even end-to-end at times. It was exactly the football match that represented everything that World Cup 2014 has been revered for.

It didn’t even take long into the match for the tempo of the match to reach higher than it had ever been in the World Cup 2010 final. Early on Argentina imposed themselves as very dangerous on the break, while the Germans the same when given time to play in and around the penalty area – Argentina saw a goal disallowed after Gonzalo Higuain tucked home a cross on the counter and the Real Madrid forward missed a virtual sitter of a volley following a poor header straight into his path in on from Germany. Yet Sergi Romero was forced into a brilliant stop to palm wide Thomas Muller’s cracking effort at the other end, before Benedikt Howedes headed a chance likewise of Higuain’s onto the inside of the post and wide.

Naturally, though, the second half was not of the same quality of the first half. Not as open or flowing – each of the sides didn’t want to risk the loss. Yet as extra-time began and a half and hour of more play ensued, renewed energy was back in the match. Toni Kroos forced Romero into a incredible reaction save to block the midfielder’s six yard snapshot less than a minute into extra-time, and Argentina were only stopped from going right back down the other end by a brilliant Howedes tackle. And finally, the breakthrough came in. Gotze latched onto a cross from the left, completely unmarked, and tucked a flying full volley into the far corner of the goal from an almost impossible angle. It was a goal worthy of a match worthy of a brilliant tournament. The only downside to the ending was that it really was the end to World Cup 2014.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.