World Cup Final

Germany became the first European team to win the World Cup on South American soil after Mario Gotze's excellent extra time winner meant that they won football's ultimate prize for the first time in 24 years in Rio tonight.

Germany, who were dealt a blow shortly before kick off when they lost Sami Khedira through injury, had most of the play in the opening quarter hour but Argentina threatened on the counter attack on a couple of occasions.

The South American side managed to create the first chance in the 4^th minute. After a German free kick came back off the wall Lavezzi broke on the counter attack. He got away from Mats Hummels, who struggled all night, and his cross was diverted into the path of Gonzalo Higuain by Jerome Boateng. The Napoli striker shot across the face of goal from a narrow angle but couldn't find the target.

Higuain had an even better chance to put his team in front in the 21^st minute. His opportunity came from a German mistake. Toni Kroos headed back towards his own goal from deep inside his own half. However Higuain got in behind the German defence and was through on goal. He only had Manuel Neuer to beat, decided to take the strike on early but it was a poor effort which was wide of the post.

The Germans had their first shot in anger in the 37^th minute. Andre Schurrle who came on for the injured Kramer played a one two with Thomas Meuller after he got away from Pablo Zabaleta. After Schurrle received the ball back from his team mate the Chelsea player shot from the edge of the area but Sergio Romero read it well and parried it to safety.

Argentina had another chance a couple of minutes later. Garay played a long ball in behind the German defence. Lionel Messi got away from Mats Hummels but Neuer came out to narrow the angle and take the sting out of Messi's shot before Boateng cleared.

Shortly before the break Germany had their best chance of the half. Kroos took a corner from the right which picked out left back Benedikt Howedes six yards out. Howedes headed powerfully towards goal but his effort came back off the post and was then gathered by Sergio Romero.

Argentina and Lionel Messi had an excellent opportunity at the start of the second half. Lucas Biglia strode forward unchallenged from midfield. He played it to his captain who was unmarked. Once again an Argentine forward found himself one on one with Neuer although it was a slightly narrow angle. Messi shot across goal with his left foot but the ball just shaved the post.

Miroslav Klose had a half chance on the hour mark. German captain Philip Lahm got the better of Biglia on the right hand side. His cross picked out the World Cup's record goalscorer about eight yards out. Klose rose to get his header away but there wasn't enough power behind it to trouble Romero.

An excellent move by Germany nearly led to the first goal nine minutes from the end of normal time. Lahm's precise pass picked out Ozeil who got the better of Rogo down the left. The Arsenal man set up Toni Kroos, who arrived from midfield with a lovely pass. Kroos struck first time on his right foot but like most of the the efforts on goal up to this stage it was off target and wide.

Germany had another opportunity at the beginning of extra time. Both substitutes combined. Mario Gotze who came on in the 88^th minute got the better of Garay and played it back to Andre Schurrle eight yards out. Schurrle struck it first time on the half volley. It was on target but Sergio Ramero showed excellent reflexes to punch the shot away to safety.

Then in the 7^th minute another substitute had an excellent chance to put his side in front. This time Marcos Rogo's excellent cross field pass picked out Rodrigo Palacio who got in behind Hummels. Palacio controlled it on his chest but Manuel Neuer came off his line very quickly. This seemed to unsettle the Inter Milan striker who could only toe poke it over the bar.

Germany's two substitutes combined again seven minutes from time but this time the result was more significant. Andre Schurrle made an excellent run down the left hand side and despite the close attention of Javier Mascherano, he managed to cross left footed. Gotze who got away from Martin Demichelis and controlled it on the chest before finishing brilliantly on the volley with his left foot to finally beat Romero.

Messi had a couple of late efforts on goal. However his header and then his free kick in the last minute didn't come close to threatening Neuer's goal. Nicola Rizzoli blew the final whistle of the 2014 World Cup shortly afterwards. German captain Philip Lahm, who was outstanding for his side after he went to right back raised the trophy triumphantly.

Germany; Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm (c), Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Christoph Kramer (Andre Schurrle 32); Thomas Meuller, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozeil (Per Mertesacker 120); Miroslav Klose (Mario Gotze 88).

Booked; Bastian Schweinsteiger (29), Benedikt Howedes (33).

Argentina; Sergio Romero; Pablo Zabaleta, Ezequiel Garay, Martin Demichelis, Marcos Rogo; Enzo Perez (Fernando Gago 86), Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia, Ezequiel Lavezzi (Sergio Aguero 46); Lionel Messi (c); Gonzalo Higuain (Rodrigo Palacio 78).

Booked; Javier Mascherano (64), Sergio Aguero (65).

Referee; Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).

© Seamus Egan 2014

Brazil 1-7 Germany

Brazil lost heir first competitive game at home since 1975 when they were hammered 7-1 by a ruthless German side in the semi final of the World Cup in Belo Horizonte tonight. Two goals from Toni Kroos and Andre Schuerrle and one each from Thomas Meuller, Miroslav Kose and Sami Khedira mean that Germany qualified for the World Cup final for the first time since 2002.

After a slow start to the game Germany soon got into their stride and nearly took the lead in the 8^th minute when Sami Khedira's goalbound shot hit his team mate Thomas Meuller. However just a couple of minutes later they did go in front.

Toni Kroos took a corner from the right hand side which picked out his Bayern Munich club mate Meuller who was unmarked and he finished cooly from the edge of the six yard box to net his 5^th goal of this tournament and his 10^th World Cup Finals goal in total. Soon after Jocheim Low's side scored 4 goals in 7 minutes to end the game as a contest.

They managed to doubled their lead in the 23^rd minute when Miroslav Klose made history. Kroos played it into the area to Mueller whose touch found Klose. His first shot was saved by Julio Cesar but when the rebound came back to the Lazio striker he finished to the empty net to score his 16^th goal in the World Cup which means that he has now scored one more goal than Ronaldo and is the leading scorer in the history of this competition.

Remarkably just two minutes later it was 3-0. After Philip Lahm crossed from the right Thomas Mueller miskicked it in the direction of Toni Kroos who finished beautifully into the corner of the net on his left foot past Julio Cesar.

Germany got a fourth just a minute later. Kroos was involved again. He dispossessed Fernandinho deep inside his own half before Khedira played him in and the German midfielder finished calmly to the net to score his second of the night.

It was all too easy for Germany and Sami Khedira, who was outstanding in the first half got in on the scoring act on the half hour mark. Mats Hummels beat David Luiz, who was caught in no mans land in a challenge. Khedira controlled the ball, played a one two with his former Real Madrid team mate Mezuit Ozeil before finishing all too easily past the helpless Brazil goalkeeper to net his first goal of the tournament.

Brazil started the better of the two teams in the 2^nd half and managed to create a chance in the 50^th minute. Fred played in substitute Ramires on the right. The Chelsea midfielder's cross looked destined to find the unmarked Oscar who would have had an open goal to aim at but Manuel Neuer managed to dive full length to cut out the cross. Then in the space of a couple of minutes Neuer saved from both Oscar and Paulinho.

However it wasn't too long before there was to be more misery for the host nation. Midway through the second half Marcelo was caught out of position and captain Philip Lahm got forward from right back to play in substitute Andre Schuerrle who took it off the toe of Thomas Meuller before side footing it into the net to make it 6-0.

Schuerrle created more history for Germany in the 79^th minute. They became the first team to score 7 goals in a World Cup semi final when the Chelsea player finished brilliantly on the half volley with his left foot from a narrow angle.

Brazil did manage to score a late goal. Marcelo's ball over the top picked out Oscar who cut inside Jerome Boateng before finally beating Manuel Neuer to give the host nation the smallest bit of consolation.

Soon after the Mexican referee blew the final whistle on a night when Germany fully exposed the weaknesses and limitations of this Brazil side, particularly in the absence of Neymar and Thiago Silva. The result means that the Germans qualified for their 8^th World Cup final. They will play either Argentina or Holland in Rio on Sunday.

Brazil; Julio Cesar; Maicon, David Luiz (c), Dante, Marcelo; Luiz Gustavo, Fernandinho (Paulinho 46); Bernard, Oscar, Hulk (Ramires 46); Fred (Willian 70).

Booked; Dante (68).

Germany; Neuer; Lahm (c), Boateng, Hummels (Mertesacker 46), Howedes; Khedira (Julian Draxler 77), Schweinsteiger; Mueller, Kroos, Ozeil; Klose (Andre Schuerrle 58).

Referee; Marco Rodriguez (Mexico).

© Seamus Egan 2014.

Argentina 1-0 Switzerland

Argentina qualified for the quarter finals of the World Cup after beating Switzerland 1-0 thanks to a dramatic extra time winner form Angel Di Maria in Sao Paulo tonight in their last 16 encounter.

Argentina who once again did not look like potential winners started sowly and had to wait until the 25^th minute to create their first opportunity. Captain Lionel Messi's left footed free kick foot from the right hand side picked out Gonzalo Higuain but he couldn't keep his header down.

Switzerland created the best two chances of the first half. Two minutes after Higuain's miss the impressive Xherdan Shaqiri got in down the right and played it back to Xhaka whose shot was on target. However Sergio Romero managed to save it with his foot.

Otmar Hitzfeld's side had an even better chance in the 39^th minute. After breaking on the counter attack Shaqiri's brilliant crossfield ball played in Josip Drmic. The Nuremberg striker only had Sergio Romero to beat and he decided to try and chip the Argentina goalkeeper but his effort was tame and it was a comfortable take for Romero.

Five minutes into the second half Shaqiri was involved again. The Bayern Munich player got in down the left hand side and pulled it back for Drmic but the Swiss striker could not keep his effort down.

Lionel Messi created another opportunity for his team close to the hour mark. He strode forward and played it to Ezequiel Levezzi. Levezzi's quick pass picked out Rogo who broke forward from left back. His shot was on target but straight at Benaglio who pushed it away.

The South American side came even closer in the 62^nd minute. Marcos Rogo's excellent cross from the left picked out Higuain. The Napoli striker's header was going in but Bengalio denied him his first goal of the tournament by tipping it over the bar.

Substitute Rodrigo Palacio very nearly scored with his first touch in the 75^th minute. Messi was the creator again. The Argentina captain played in a beautiful ball from the left which picked out Palacio six yards out. The Inter Milan striker got his head to it but the ball flashed across the goal and went wide.

Switzerland could have won it in injury time. Inler's free kick kick from the right picked out centre back Fabian Schaer eight yards out. He got his head on it but the effort was too high and the Basel defender held his head in his hands because he knew that was a chance to win it for his country.

The game went to extratime and Argentina had the only chance of the first period. Lionel Messi's free kick was met by the head of Palacio. The ball looked destined to end up in the corner of the net but Diego Benaglio, who had an outstanding game stretched far enough to make the save.

At the start of the second period of extratime the Wolfsburg stopper pushed Angel Di Maria's stinging shot away for a corner.

Just as it looked as if the game was heading for a penalty shootout Lionel Messi was the creator for Argentina again. After Wilson Palacio won the ball back the Argentina captain got away from Schaer and drove at the heart of a tiring Switzerland defence. As usual the Barcelona player picked out the right ball. His pass to the right played in Angel Di Maria who seemed rejuvenated in extra time. The Real Madrid forward kept his cool and side footed into the net with his left foot.

However Switzerland weren't prepared to go down without a fight and should have equalized in the first minute of injury time. Shaqiri's cross from the left found substitute Bezrim Dezmaili six yards out. He had a free header and looked certian to score but somehow hit the post. The rebound came back hit Dezmaili and went wide.

After a late Shaqiri free hit the Argentina wall referee Jonas Eriksson blew the final whistle. Once again Lionel Messi was the main inspiration behind an Argentina victory at this World Cup. Alejandro Sabella's side will next play either Belgium or United States in the last 8 in Brasilia on Saturday.

Argentina; Romero; Zabaleta, Fernandez, Garay, Rogo (Jose Basanta 115); Gago (Lucas Biglia 106), Mascherano, Di Maria; Lavezzi (Rodrigo Palacio 74), Messi, Higuain.

Booked; Rogo (90), Angel Di Maria (120), Garay (120+3).

Switzerland; Benaglio; Lichsteiner, Djorou, Schaer, Rodriguez; Inler, Xhaka (Gelson Fernandes 66), Behrami, Shaqiri; Mehmedi (Belrim Dzemaili 113); Drmic (Haris Seferovic 82).

Booked; Xhaka (36), Fernandes (73),

Referee; Jonas Eriksson (Sweeden).

© Seamus Egan 2014