I can only get in a short report of this evening’s match in Vienna, as we are off on holiday this evening… Nach Deutschland! Thankfully this evening’s encounter was a case of all’s well that ends well, with Jogi Löw’s side keeping their 100% qualifying record courtesy of a last-gasp winner from Mario Gómez.
The Nationalmannschaft started strongly, and were clearly the better side after the first forty-five minutes. They were well worth their 1-0 lead, though the goal itself was at best scrappy and extremely fortuitous. After Toni Kroos had swung in a right-footed corner, Arne Friedrich rose strongly and touched the ball into the box, where it landed in the path of Gómez, who stubbed into in the back of the net with his right boot five minutes before the break.
The second half saw the home side switch up a gear, while the Germans looked sluggish and a shadow of the side that had walked into the dressing room at half-time. Almost inevitably, the Austrians equalised when Bayern winger David Alaba placed a cross into the German box, where it was swept into his own net by the unfortunate Friedrich. It was the third time the Wolfsburg defender had found the back of the net in his international career – though two of these have been at his own end.
Bouyed by their equaliser, the men in red chased the win – and with it their hopes of making it to the finals. Most neutrals would have seen 1-1 as a fair result, but as the final whistle approached Gómez had other ideas. After a Kroos corner had been partially cleared, the loose ball was picked up by Mesut Özil, who found skipper Philipp Lahm in space. Lahm flighted in one of his trademark right-footed crosses in the box, where it was met by Gómez who ghosted in at the far post. He powered his header past Christian Grazei, and settled the game at 2-1.
As the final whistle blew I actually felt a little sorry for the Ösis – though this feeling soon disappeared after a few minutes…
v Austria, Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Wien, 03.06.2011
2-1 (1-0)
Gómez 40., 90. / Friedrich og 50.
Team: Neuer – Lahm, A. Friedrich, Hummels, Schmelzer – Khedira (69. Badstuber), Kroos (90. Aogo) – Th. Müller, Özil, Podolski (67. Schürrle) – Gómez
Referee: Massmimo Busacca (Switzerland)
Assistants: Matthias Arnet, Manuel Navarro (Switzerland)
Fourth Official: Nikolaj Hänni (Switzerland)
Yellow Cards: Özil, Gómez / Baumgartlinger, Scharner
Red Cards: – / –
Attempts on Target: 6 / 1
Attempts off Target: 5 / 7
Corners: 7 / 1
Fouls Committed: 6 / 15
Attendance: 47,500