The defending world champions, Germany, beaten by South Korea 2-0 in Kazan, Russia on Wednesday, are eliminated from the World Cup 2018 competition in the group stage.
The adage that Germany always wins at the end is no longer worth: the reigning world champion lost on Wednesday (June 27th) against South Korea (2-0) and is eliminated . The germans had never left the World Cup before the quarter-finals since returning to the World Cup in 1954.
No goal at the last minute as against Sweden (2-1) in the second match, and no final stage. The curse of the World Cup title-holder has hit. This means that in the 20th century, four of the five defending champions were eliminated in the group stage.
This was the case for France in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and therefore Germany in 2018. The only exception is Brazil’s 2002 world champion and quarter-finalist in 2006.
But it’s all the more incredible that Greater Germany has always been at least semi-finalist since 2002!
Their loss, conceded on a goal awarded after video assistance to arbitration (VAR) to Kim Young-gwon (90 + 2), before Son Heung-min extinguished the suspense against (90 + 6) ), leaving the Germans in last place in this group F, behind Sweden, who beat Mexico 3-0, the ‘Tri’ also qualified, and South Korea.
🏆 #KORGER
⚽ Coup de tonnerre ! La Corée du Sud s’impose 2-0 contre l’Allemagne ! Le champion du monde en titre est éliminé de cette #CM2018 ! pic.twitter.com/MGJ2yD0mEA— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) June 27, 2018
Löw strengthened before the match
And the match? Forcibly, he was marked with the seal of anguish and suffocating Wednesday in Kazan. And the Germans, usually so sure of themselves, this time clearly seemed to be crushed by the stakes.
Even captain Manuel Neuer, the best goalkeeper of the 2014 World Cup, let himself be caught by escaping a free-kick somewhat floating but not so dangerous Jung Woo-young, then clearing in extremis before Son (19th).
Despite the changes made by coach Joachim Löw, confirmed by his Federation before the meeting – “better than anyone can handle the reconstruction that will be indispensable after the World Cup whatever happens” – Germany has struggled to show dangerous.
Thomas Müller on the bench, Mesut Özil holder … Nothing worked for the Mannschaft, threatening only in an attempt to Timo Werner (39th ) and a head of the middle Leon Goretzka (48th), whenever diverted by the keeper Korean Jo Hyeon-woo.
In front, the Koreans who lost their first two games, 1-0 against Sweden, 2-1 against Mexico, were not really dangerous, before the last minutes.
Disillusion is all the more cruel for Germany, who can especially regret his inaugural defeat against Mexico (1-0). The fruit, perhaps, of too great a pressure or a lack of marks between the historical ones and the young generation, which had nevertheless won one year earlier the Confederations Cup.
