Defending champions Germany won a 1995 final rematch against
Norway in Tianjin on Wednesday, beating the then-winners 3-0 to
reach the 2007 World Cup finals.
The Germans now have a chance at breaking the World Cup jinx
that no team could win the title for a second time straight in a
row when they face the winners of Thursday's semifinal match
between the United States and Brazil, in Shanghai on Sunday.
Germany also keeps a clean sheet after five games in the
tournament without conceding a goal.
"I'm very proud of the team," German coach Silvia Neid told a
post-match press conference.
"In the beginning, we didn't let Norway have chance to score and
that gave us some confidence. After the break, the own goal gave us
more confidence. Team effort took us to 2-0, which assured us that
we'd win the game," she added.
Norway's coach Berntsen rued the own goal but refused to blame
Ronning.
"The own goal was just an ordinary reaction; very unlucky.
Ronning is our best player as a defender," he said.
Substitute Fatmire Bajramaj set up Germany's opening goal one
minute after she came off the bench to stand in for underperformed
Melanie Behringer.
The 19-year-old midfielder, dubbed by head coach Silvia Neid as
"the player who belongs to the future", set apart from the mid to
find skipper Birgit Prinz on the left wing, and the latter brought
the ball deep to force an own goal from Norway defender Trine
Ronning in the 42nd minute.
Defender Kerstin Stegemann made it 2-0 at 72 minutes after Prinz
dribbled into the penalty box and, surrounded by two Norwegian
defenders, she tapped it back to allow Stegemann to angle in a
shot.
Just three minutes later, forward Martina Mueller, also a
substitute, seized the ball by mistake from Norway defenders. She
easily beat goalkeeper Bente Nordby to tap it into the far
corner.
Before the surprising change on the score board (in the 42nd
minute), the game had gone into a deadlock as both the European
powers played aggressively and fluently, coupled by their speed and
straightforward tactics.
Germany came out on the winner's side with better building-ups,
with the former European champions' all-time leading world cup
scorer Prinz and the on-pitch soul Renate Lingor each making a
successful breakthrough down to the baseline in opening stages and
setting a nice ball in front of Norway's goalmouth before being
cleared.
The world No. 2 side, one of the only three teams having lifted
the UEFA European Championships trophy alongside Norway and Sweden,
also earned a free-kick in the 15th minute after Simone Laudehr was
tackled down near the penalty box, but Sandra Smisek headed
Lingor's cross wide.
Norway, however, was the better team in terms of statistics,
having nine shots to six by Germany, and earning six corners
against none, though committing eight fouls against one in the
first half.
Only physical strength seemed to be enough for the Norwegians,
as most of the time Norway midfielder Solveig Gulbrandsen could
make a breakthrough only by pushing her shoulder onto her
rivals'.
The Nordic side's best chance came in the 22nd minute when
Ingvild Stensland swung in their second corner in two minutes, but
Solveig Gulbrandsen's powerful volley was denied by German keeper
Nadine Angerer.
Berntsen said his players lack rest and were not fit enough for
the match.
"It was a disappointment to lose the semifinal, but we still get
a chance to win a medal at least," he said.
"We only got two days rest before the match and after the
quarterfinal against China. Maybe I should have used some more
physically fit players on the pitch. It was a mistake."
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2007)
