WORLD CUP: Germany triumph in third place play-off

Germany and Uruguay produced an entertaining game as the Europeans won 3-2 over their South American counterparts.

URU: 2
GER: 3

Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, Port Elizabeth

Crowd: 36,007

Referee:Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Assistants: Hector Vergara (Canada) & Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)
Fourth official:Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)

Yellow cards: URU - Perez GER - Friedrich, Aogo, Cacau

Red cards:

MATCH REPORT

The critics wondered over the validity of this supposedly meaningless fixture as both teams would be more interested in going home after the disappointment of failing in the semi-finals.

Try telling Germany and Uruguay that, who between them produced one of the games of the tournament. Uruguay, after early dominance from the Germans, rallied to take the lead, only for Germany to fight back for a late winner.

Thomas Mueller opened the scoring taking advantage of an error from Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera. The South Americans refused to lie down and drew level before half time through Edinson Cavani.

One of the player’s of the World Cup, Diego Forlan, put Uruguay ahead just after the break with spectacular volley.

Germany increased the pressure and restored parity within five minutes. Again Muslera was at fault, this time flapping at a Jerome Boateng cross allowing Marcell Jansen a free header into an empty net.

The game continued to entertain as both teams went for the winner and on 82 minutes the vital strike went to Germany. Uruguay fail to clear a corner and Sami Khedira reacted quickest to loop a winning header.

Forlan almost took the game into extra time as he thumped a shot against the woodwork in the final minute, but its Germany who finish in third place for the second World Cup running.

Starting Line-Ups

URU

1. Nestor Fernando Muslera
4. Jorge Fucile
2. Diego Lugano
3. Diego Godin
22. Martin Caceres
16. Victorio Maxi Pereira
15. Diego Perez (Gargano, 77)
17. Egidio Arevalo Rios
7. Edinson Cavani
9. Luis Suarez
10. Diego Forlan

SUBS

12. Juan Castillo (GK)
5. Walter Gargano
6. Mauricio Victorino
8. Sebastian Eguren
11. Alvaro Pereira
13. Sebastian Abreu
14. Nicolas Lodeiro
18. Nacho Gonzalez
19. Andres Scotti
20. Alvaro Fernandez
21. Sebastian Fernandez
23. Martin Silva (GK)

GER

22. Jorg Butt
20. Jerome Boateng
3. Arne Friedrich
17. Per Mertesacker
4. Dennis Aogo
6. Sami Khedira
7. Bastian Schweinsteiger
13. Thomas Muller
8. Mesut Ozil (Tasci, 90+1)
2. Marcell Jansen (Kroos, 81)
19. Jeronimo Baretto Cacau (Kiessling, 73)

SUBS

1. Manuel Neuer (GK)
5. Serdar Tasci
9. Stefan Kiessling
10. Lukas Podolski
11. Miroslav Klose
14. Holger Badstuber
15. Piotr Trochowski
16. Philip Lahm
18. Toni Kroos
21. Marko Marin
23. Mario Gomez
12. Tim Wiese (GK)