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)
