ECUADOR 0-3 GERMANY

ECUADOR 0-3 GERMANY
20 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Germany sealed top spot in Group A in impressive style, with a Miroslav Klose brace and Lukas Podolski's first goal of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ sealing an emphatic 3-0 win over Ecuador.
Both these sides had already qualified for the Round of 16 prior to this match, but it is Jurgen Klinsmann's side who will march on to the next phase in more confident mood after a performance that simply oozed self-assurance.

The sell-out crowd of 72,000 at Berlin's Olympiastadion were certainly treated to a terrific showing from their side, for whom Klose - now tournament top scorer - was particularly impressive up front.

Ecuador, meanwhile, opted to rest a number of the players who had helped secure victories over Poland and Costa Rica in the South Americans' previous two matches, and did not look as potent without the likes of key striker Agustin Delgado.

Germany will now face the second-placed side from Group B in Munich on 24 June, while Ecuador will go head-to-head against the winner of that section in Stuttgart the following day.

The match:
4’: After early half-chances at both ends, the hosts took hold of the game with a goal inside five minutes of the opening whistle. A looping cross from the left from Per Mertesacker was cut back across the face of goal by Bastian Schweinsteiger and buried from eight yards by Miroslav Klose to tie the Werder Bremen man with Spain’s Fernando Torres as Germany 2006's top scorer with three goals. (0-1)

19’: With the previously impressive South Americans unable to muster much resistance, the Germans sliced them wide open once again. This time, Philipp Lahm’s raid up the left channel ended in a whipped-in cross for Bernd Schneider at the back post. However, the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder’s well-struck volley flashed over the crossbar to groans from the home faithful.

25’: Not long after, a fine chipped in through ball from Schneider picked out the energetic Klose racing into the box. Ecuadorian ‘keeper Cristian Mora, however, raced off his line to deny the onrushing striker what would have been his second of the match.

33’: In an almost identical move, another lofted ball from Schneider found the foot of Klose once again, only for the striker’s viciously struck volley to fly over the bar. With time ticking down in the first half, the Ecuadorians were just hanging on.

44’: As it transpired, they couldn’t make it to the half without conceding again. Michael Ballack’s brilliant flicked pass picked out Klose, who overpowered his marker before rounding Mora and slotting into then open net. (0-2)

Germans on the march
51’:The Germans came out in the second half intent on picking up where they’d left off in the first. The South Americans did, though, manage to stamp some authority on the match. Luis Valencia’s fierce tackle on Ballack in midfield earned him a yellow card and a stern talking-to from the ref.

53’: Just a few seconds later, the German response almost yielded a goal as Lahm picked out Lukas Podolski, who clipped a low shot just past the far post.

57’: The youngster made amends for his near-miss just seconds later as a brilliant counter-attack led to another German goal. Turning defence into attack in a matter of seconds, Schneider crossed from the right to pick out the sliding Podolski, who made no mistake, poking the ball just inside the back post. (0-3)

66’: Giovanny Espinoza tried his luck from distance after a rare Ecuadorian break, Jens Lehmann in the German goal was barely troubled and palmed the ball over with a minimum of fuss.

72’: A free-kick from 20 yards was the next decent chance the Ecuadorians conjured, with Edison Mendez’s swerving effort just failing to dip under the crossbar.

In conclusion:
With their third straight win, Germany – who could have added another goal with a smattering of chances near the end – strut confidently into the Round of 16, where they will take on the the runner-up from Group B (England, Sweden or Trinidad & Tobago). Ecuador, despite a difficult day in Berlin, can look forward to a match-up with Group B's winners winner (Sweden or England) in their first-ever knockout stage game at a FIFA World Cup finals.