Germany vs Paraguay - 2002 World Cup

Home: World Cup 2002: Korea-Japan Finals: Knockout Stage: Match Report

Saturday, June 15th

Kahn's Punches Help Knockout Paraguay

Michael Ballack was considered fit enough to play and Oliver Neuville partnered Miroslav Klose up front, in place of workhorse Carsten Jancker.

Germany had to reshuffle their side to deal with the three suspensions of Ziege, Hamman and Ramelow and it didn't seem to gell initially.

Both sides started evenly matched; their passes going astray as the first, Second Round match got underway.

Ballack's back-header on Germany's second corner never really threatened Chilavert and in the 13th minute his right-foot shot, from long-range, flew wide of the target as well.

Bad news for Paraguay, as Roque Santa Cruz received treatment on the sidelines, around the 15th minute..... but he made it back onto the pitch a couple of minutes later.

Birthday boy, Ollie Kahn then punched Francisco Arce's 21st minute, direct free-kick away; to keep out Paraguay's first real chance.

Roque Santa Cruz couldn't shake off his injury and was replaced by Jorge Campos on the half-hour.

A super save by Ollie Kahn, from substitute Campos, kept Germany level; eight minutes before the half-time break.

Marko Rehmer's lack of match practice had put his goalkeeper under pressure on a few occasions; as Paraguay ended the half better than Germany, holding the ball well and making cleaner passes.

Half-time: Germany 0 - Paraguay 0

Rudi V�ller had picked up on the problem with Marko Rehmer, replacing him at half-time with Borussia Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl, but Germany still tried to play too much through the middle rather than using the width and knocking in crosses for Klose's head.

Sure Chilavert is good...... but there's no harm in putting him to the test.

Germany needed to find a way into this game, with Oliver Neuville not getting the service he needed. Rudi Völler decided to bring on Frank Baumann for Christoph Metzelder to try and neutralise Paraguay; even though Metzelder plays with the other substitute, Sebastian Kehl, at club level.

Germany seemed too slow to create chances for Neuville or Klose...... On one of the few occasions when the Paraguay defence were well away from their penalty area, Oliver Neuville needed a quicker release.

When the ball was finally pumped upfield, the Leverkusen forward was flagged offside.

Chilavert came up for Paraguay's 74th minute free-kick, on the edge of the German penalty circle. The shot went over; giving the Paraguay keeper plenty of time to get back in goal.

Thirteen minutes from time, Germany almost looked dangerous.....when Michael Ballack crossed high from the left for Klose in the middle.

The header went over.... but even against Saudi Arabia, Miroslav Klose needed a few attempts to get the direction right. Sadly, he didn't get enough chances in this game.

Germany started to push up and look more constructive as the time ticked out.

1:0
Bernd Schneider, on the right, crossed in low for his Leverkusen team mate, Oliver Neuville, to run through the defenders like a horse coming up to the winning line and slammed the ball past Chilavert..... in the 88th minute.

Paraguay showed urgency in the last minute but Germany had won the cat and mouse game, for a place in the Quarter-finals - against Mexico or USA.

Final Score:
Germany 1 - Paraguay 0

Man of the Match:
Oliver Kahn - Birthday boy, Oliver Kahn didn't put a punch wrong as helped to knockout Paraguay.

Red Cards:
Roberto Acuna (92 mins)

Yellow Cards:
Roberto Acuna (27 mins)
Bernd Schneider (35 mins)
José Cardozo (50 mins)
Frank Baumann (72 mins)
Michael Ballack (92 mins)

The Teams

Germany:
1 Oliver Kahn; 2 Thomas Linke, 21 Christoph Metzelder (4 Frank Baumann - 60 mins), 3 Marko Rehmer (15 Sebastian Kehl - 46 mins); 13 Michael Ballack, 22 Torsten Frings, 16 Jens Jeremies, 19 Bernd Schneider; 17 Marco Bode, 11 Miroslav Klose, 7 Oliver Neuville (14 Gerald Asamoah - 93 mins).

Paraguay:
1 José Luis Chilavert; 2 Francisco Arce, 5 Celso Ayala, 18 Julio C�ceres, 21 Denis Caniza, 4 Carlos Gamarra; 10 Roberto Acuna, 15 Carlos Bonet (14 Diego Gavilan - 84 mins), 6 Estanislao Struway (23 Nelson Cuevas - 90 mins); 20 José Cardozo, 9 Roque Santa Cruz (11 Jorge Campos - 30 mins).

Referee: Carlos Batres