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1/8 Final - Germany-Mexico, German rally ends Mexico's run. |
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For once, all Mexico had to do was hold its lead. It proved more difficult than coming back.
Germany, another master of dangerous living, rallied with goals from its prolific forward duo of Juergen Klinsmann and Oliver Bierhoff and squeezed into the quarterfinals of the World Cup with a 2-1 victory Monday.
Mexico, which had come back in all three of its first-round games to reach the round of 16, couldn't hold a 1-0 advantage under relentless German pressure and went out against the three-time World Cup champions.
"I wouldn't want to go through such a game every day," said German coach Berti Vogts. "My team went through 90 minutes of torture. We won with our fighting spirit. They found the strength to win a game that was nearly lost."
Bierhoff put home a 12-meter header in the 86th minute to clinch Germany's victory. He outjumped defender Raul Lara for Ulf Kirsten's right-wing cross to score his third goal of the tournament.
"My compliments to Mexico, but if you look over 90 minutes, I think we deserved to win," said Bierhoff, who also hit the underside of the crossbar in the first half. "Mexico was dangerous in the front, but we had more chances.
"If you don't use your chances it becomes difficult," added Bierhoff, who topped Italy's Serie A this season with 27 goals and now has 20 goals for Germany in 30 games.
On another hot World Cup day -- temperature at kickoff was 91 degrees Farenheit at the Stade de la Mosson -- Mexico had been on the way to the biggest upset of France '98 until Klinsmann capitalized on a poor clearance in front of the net by Lara to tie the game in the 75th minute.
When midfielder Dietmar Hamann's long crossing ball bounded between Lara's feet, Klinsmann hustled to beat goalkeeper Jorge Campos to the ball with a sliding shot. The German captain also has three goals in the tournament.
"The way we fought in this hot weather makes us incredibly optimistic for the next games," said Klinsmann, who pulled even with Rudi Voeller on Germany's all-time scoring list with 49 goals. They share second place behind Gerd Mueller's 68. "We have tremendous fighting spirit."
Mexico had never won a World Cup game in Europe before a 3-1 first-round victory over South Korea in its opener. After struggling through qualifying and enduring a huge swell of criticism at home, the team not only made the second round, but gave the reigning European champions a scare.
"I think this a message to the Mexican people," said Luis Hernandez, whose 47th-minute goal was his fourth of the Cup. "You should trust us. For those who do not trust us, please understand. We have done the utmost. We are extremely proud of what we have done today against the German team."
Hernandez scored when he took Cuauhtemoc Blanco's pass in the box and dribbled deftly to the right to avoid Michael Tarnat and Christian Woerns before beating goalkeeper Andreas Koepke from 8 meters.
The Mexicans could have made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute. Substitute Jesus Arellano made a marvelous 50-meter run only to have his shot tipped off the post by a diving Koepke. Hernandez, in front of the net without a defender anywhere close, had all day to put in the rebound, but instead one-touched it straight back to the keeper.
Had Germany lost, it would have been its earliest World Cup exit since 1978, when the second round used a group format instead of single elimination.
The Germans have made the final eight of every World Cup they have entered except 1938.
