Sporting Life
Timo Werner and Germany are heading home from the World Cup
Timo Werner and Germany are heading home from the World Cup

Korea Republic 2-0 Germany: Defending champions crash out of World Cup

Football
Wed June 27, 2018 · 6y ago

Holders Germany were sensationally dumped out of the World Cup after a late VAR review set South Korea on the way to a 2-0 win in their Group F encounter.

Kim Young-gwon thought he had fired the Koreans ahead a minute into added time but the goal was initially disallowed for offside. However, after a VAR review showed Germany's Toni Kroos got the last touch, the decision was overturned.

Tottenham striker Son Heung-min then rolled the ball into an empty net to turn the screw with German keeper Manuel Neuer stranded upfield to make it 2-0.

The defeat, coupled with Sweden's win over Mexico, ensured Germany failed to emerge from the group stage for the first time.

Joachim Low's men, who needed Toni Kroos' last-gasp free-kick against Sweden on Saturday to preserve their hopes, created only a handful of chances with central defender Mats Hummels having squandered perhaps the best of them three minutes from time.

Despite Kroos and Sami Khedira orchestrating from deep, Germany were unable to create anything of note in the early stages.

Indeed, the game's first real chance came at the other end after Khedira had been penalised for a high challenge on Jung Woo-young.

Younggwon Kim scores Korea Republic's first goal

Jung dusted himself down before firing in a 19th-minute free-kick which Neuer spilled before only just managing to claw away the rebound before Son could pounce.

The Spurs frontman was handed a chance six minutes later after full-back Lee Yong's cross had been only half-cleared, but he drilled his volley just high and wide of the target.

For their part, Germany were rarely able to inject any real pace into the game to open up their opponents and create genuine chances.

Low's side belatedly started to flex their muscles as the whistle approached with striker Timo Werner seeing a 39th-minute shot deflected over and Hummels forcing a point-blank save from Jo Hyeon-woo after Kroos' corner had been recycled by Werner.

Neuer looked far more comfortable as he fielded Jung's speculative effort within seconds of the restart, but it was opposite number Jo who had to produce a fine save to keep out Leon Goretzka's 48th-minute header after Joshua Kimmich had picked him out unmarked.

Son Heung-Min scores Korea Republic's second

However, as news that Sweden had taken the lead in Nizhny Novgorod filtered through, Werner volleyed wastefully wide from Ozil's pull-back when he looked odds-on to score.

In a desperate search for inspiration, Low sent on Mario Gomez and Thomas Muller for Khedira and Goretzka, but it was Werner who passed up another opportunity when he scuffed his effort harmlessly wide after Ozil's 64th-minute corner had been allowed to reach him beyond the far post.

Gomez headed straight at Jo from Kimmich's cross four minutes later with the Germans stepping up a gear, but in an increasingly open contest, Son drove a 78th-minute shot into the side-netting at the other end.

Hummels should have scored after being picked out by Ozil with 87 minutes gone, but made a mess of his header and Kim took full advantage when, after Jang Hyun-soo had flicked on Son's corner, Kim pounced, although it took a VAR review for offside for goal to be confirmed after Kroos' touch saw the ball drop to his feet.

There was worse to come for the Germans in the sixth minute of stoppage time when substitute Ju Sejong rounded Neuer deep in Korean territory and rolled the ball into Son's path for him to race clear and clinch a famous win.

Germany to finish bottom of the group could have been backed at 22/1 pre-tournament, whilst 13/2 was available on them not to reach the round of 16.

The group forecast (Sweden first, Mexico second, Korea third, Germany fourth) was also available at 40/1.

A 2-0 Korea victory was available at 80/1 pre-match.

Disbelief for Germany's players

Opta facts

  • Germany are the fourth defending champions to be eliminated from the Group Stage at the World Cup in the last five tournaments (also France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014).
  • This is only the second time that Germany have been eliminated from the First Round at the World Cup having last done so in 1938 – however, this is the first time it has happened when the First Round has been in a group stage format.
  • South Korea have been eliminated from the group stage at consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time since they failed to progress from this stage in each of their first five appearances at the World Cup (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994 & 1998).
  • Germany’s tally of two goals scored at this World Cup is the second fewest managed by a defending champion in the competition, only ahead of France’s zero in 2002.
  • This was Germany’s first ever defeat against an Asian nation in a World Cup match in what was their sixth such match.
  • Germany have failed to score in two of their three World Cup games in 2018, as many as their previous 15 World Cup matches combined.
  • This was South Korea’s first clean sheet at the World Cup since a 2-0 win over Greece in 2010; they had gone eight without a shutout before this match.
  • South Korea have beaten Germany in a World Cup match for the first time, having lost each of the previous two meetings in the competition.
  • Son Heung-Min’s goal for South Korea (95:52) was the latest goal Germany have ever conceded in a World Cup match (excluding extra-time).
  • Since the 2010 edition, Germany have lost both of their World Cup matches in which Thomas Müller has not started (also lost 0-1 to Spain in the 2010 semi-final), compared to 80% when he has started (12 wins in 15 games).

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