After winning two semifinal games that could not have been more different, Argentina and Germany will face off in the 2014 World Cup Final in a game that the host Brazilians were certain they would be playing in. But after being run out but the Germans, 7-1, in what was their worst international loss in history, Brazil has been relegated to the third-place game vs. the Netherlands while two other soccer superpowers will contest the final of the biggest tournament in the world.
In a World Cup Final that very much delivers on the hype, Lionel Messi will go head-to-head with Thomas Müller, Javier Maschereno and Manuel Neuer will stymie their attacks, and soccer fans around the world will watch with baited breath.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Germany comes into this favored to win it all at EVEN, and why not? The Europeans have made their box scores look closer to baseball’s or hockey’s all tournament long, and that was before absolutely demolishing Brazil in the semifinal.
Thomas Müller became the second player ever to score five goals in back-to-back World Cups after scoring the goal of many on Tuesday. The first? Oh, Miroslav Klose, who started next to Müller against Brazil, and became the highest-scoring World Cup player ever, scoring his 16th against Brazil.
Müller and Klose had the run of the field against a weakened Brazil that was missing their captain and star defender Thiago Silva (yellow cards), but will not find the Argentinians nearly so interested in allowing their high-aggression offense to get settled in the Final. Maschareno and company played a full-field shut down game against the Dutch, not allowing a shot on target in the first 70 minutes of their semifinal.
The key for the Germans will likely be their possession. While they have demonstrated time and again that they are capable of executing when their stars get in close, having scored 17 goals in six games at this tournament, the Germans have not faced a team defense of this calibre in the tournament.
The play of Philipp Lahm, who has played both full back and defensive midfield in this tournament, may be critical in this effort. The spry German captain can make plays anywhere on the field, and read a developing opportunity (or crisis) quickly and help his team adjust on the fly.
If German manager Joachim Löw elects to go with a more defensive formation against the Argentinians, say by starting Klose on the bench, Lahm and his fellow swingman Bastian Schweinsteiger will drive much of the play for the Germans.
Argentina’s path to the World Cup Final may not have been as glamorous, but the team is playing in top form when it counts.
Lionel Messi has provided most of the goals the team’s needed to advance through the tournament, and comes into the Final tied with Müller for second on the goal-scoring list with five, one behind Colombia’s James Rodríguez. Messi has been brilliant, and aside from slowing towards the end of some of his team’s hotter games, has powered Argentina to their success.
Messi’s cuts were on full display against the Netherlands, though not so much that the game was much to watch, standing at 0-0 after extra time before being decided 4-2 on penalties. Messi will need help if he’s going to beat the Germans.
While he may be able to make the large German defenders like Per Mertesacker and Jérôme Boateng miss on occasion, Messi will find himself bearing down on the hands-down favorite to win the Golden Glove for best keeper at this tournament, Manuel Neuer. Neuer has been exceptional in this tournament, both in his box and beyond it, has he has acted as a sweeper behind the aggressive defensive German line and kept three clean sheets thus far.
Argetina’s path to success in this game would need to follow their blueprint for the tournament: play tight, full-field defense, and take opportunities when they come. If Maschereno and company can limit the chances for Germany, Messi and his partner in attack, Gonzalo Higuaín will find theirs against such an aggressive German back line. One goal might be all they’d need if Argentinian backstop Sergio Romero can continue his excellent play and prevent the Germans from getting ahead early.
Writer’s Prediction
Germany gets theirs. After getting second or third in 2002, 2006, and 2010, the Germans simply overwhelm the Argentinians 2-0. Grab them at EVEN now before the betting tide pushes that number higher by creating a betting account now.
