It always hurts when media asks you questions related to your performance and put a question mark on your skill, especially if you just played against rather an underdog. Yes, we are talking about yesterday’s last sixteen match between Germany and Algeria which was won by the Germans with a 2-1 margin, but the credit for giving a tough fight goes to the Algerians who did it again and almost put three times world cup winner under pressure. In fact, at once, it was looking like a perfect repeat of 1982 classic match where Algerians almost incapacitated the Germany to enter into the last sixteen. Anyways, though Germany won the game but it was undoubtedly a hard fought win and everyone acknowledges the tough resistance offered by the North Africans. The recent pre-quarterfinal win was also not an easy one, perhaps Germans have to fight until the extra time and Andre Schurrle and Mesut Ozil both scored in this time for the national team and took them into the last eight.
If we look at the journey of Joachim Low’s side in the Brazilian event until now, they were only impressive in the first game when defeated Portugal by 4-1, but after that they seemed nothing striking either with their attacking or defensive line, in fact, many experts are calling them fortunate ones to enter into the last eight. The reaction of the German players also show they are not happy with what they did in the field or how could they not curb the African side knowing it was the first time they were in the last sixteen in any world cup. Defender Per Mertesacker angrily replied when a reporter asked them to improve for the remaining matches. He said, in a television interview, “Do you want a successful World Cup or do you want that we get eliminated with beautiful football once again?.
“I don’t care how we did it. We reached the final eight. That matters. Do you believe we play a circus group in the last 16? They made it really difficult for us, but we were convincing during extra time and were deserved winners in the end.”
If Germans were lucky this time, imagine how would they tackle the French side in quarterfinal; bookies are betting low on them for the high profile quarterfinal match. No matter how far you go in any tournament, how you perform is something that matters for you and this is what is not getting right for the Germany soccer team. Pray for a surprising change in their performance in the quarterfinal – fingers crossed!