Germany broke the jinx to become the first team to retain the
Women's World Cup title after beating Brazil 2-0 in the final in
Shanghai on Sunday.
"After the penalty save, I felt it was meant to be," said
Germany coach Silvia Neid after the match, referring to Marta's
64-minute penalty saved by his sublime goalkeeper Nadine
Angerer."
"We worked hard for each other. It was a great team performance.
It was important to work against Marta, and we did a good job in
pushing her to the sidelines."
"Brazil have more chances than we did. But we played like a team
and defended well," she added.
"When we made the first goal, my players realised that they can
hold the match and to play such strong teams like Brazil."
His counterpart of the Brazilian team did not complained about
his players.
"I believed all my players have tried their best on the court
and I'm just disappointed with the result," said Jorge
Barcellos.
"The German goalie is an excellent girl keeper to save the
penalty shot by Marta, because under the situation, you will feel
much pressure," he added his comment on Angerer.
The final finished in 90 minutes and made the 2007 tournament
the very first one without extra-time match.
Germany, walking through the tourney with an incredible clean
sheet, thus extended their record of conceding none to 619 minutes
and topped the scoring tally of the tournament with 21 goals for
and none against.
The 2003 champions had a possession of around 40 percent
throughout the game but earned the crucial opening goal, as their
star striker Birgit Prinz received a fine pass inside the penalty
box from fellow forward Sandra Smisek and right-footed the ball to
beat Brazilian keeper Andreia in the 52nd minute.
Simone Laudehr dived in a header on 86 minutes after Fatmire
Bajramaj forced a corner and Renate Lingor swung it in the box to
give Laudehr a perfect angle to shoot.
The victory for Germany, on the other hand, pricked the dream of
Brazil into bubbles as they had expected to become the first South
American side to take the trophy.
Unchallenged candidate for Golden Shoe prize Marta failed to
give Brazil an upper hand first in their first ever World Cup
final.
The FIFA's Player of the Year in 2006 made a superb run in the
59th minute when goalie Andreia's release after clearing a Germany
attack stunningly found a quick reacting Marta back in the rival's
half and the 21-year-old talent brought the ball down into the
penalty box before being stolen by the all time following
defenders.
Marta again earned her chance to win an equalizer after
Cristiane was tackled down in the box by Linda Bresonik on 62
minutes, but Marta's penalty kick was perfect blocked by German
goalie Nadine Angerer.
The World Cup trophy seemed to be against Brazil in the
following minutes, as the South American team, from the country
deemed a traditional soccer giant, made near perfect build-ups and
hopeful shots against the Germans' goalmouth for five times in five
minutes but none of them was converted into goal.
Brazil controlled the game in the first half and showed their
eye-catching skills and the potential for winning a world
trophy.
Prior to the half-hour mark, the Athens Olympic runners-up ran a
series of attacking attempts as regular starting forward Cristiane
started the wave by forcing a corner from Formiga in 18th minute
after making a ball chasing against two German defenders down to
stretch.
Four minutes later, Elaine kicked off a lock ball near the right
line to pick up Formiga in the midfield before the latter's long
shot was easily saved by German goalie Nadine Angerer.
After a failed build-up from the Germans towards Brazil's
goalmouth, the South Americans made a third effort in five minutes,
which was followed by a link-up in seconds, as Daniela's volley
with her left foot was denied by the left post before the Saad
midfielder again got control of the ball with Cristiane's setting
and heading it far higher from the bar.
In the next minute, the tournament's leading scorer Marta hardly
broke the deadlock but her superb solo run, initiating from 33
meters away down to the right post, was just seen off by a
desperate clearing-up from a massive pack of the rivals.
Germany's chances in the first half mostly came from their
midfield core Lingor, who launched a building up with a four-touch
pass at 14 and again created a scoring opportunity on 16 minutes
for Birgit Prinz before the former Golden Shoe winner lost the ball
inside the box.
Golden ball winners for FIFA
Women's World Cup
Following are the golden ball winners for FIFA Women's World Cup
since 1991:
1991 China: Carin Jennings, United States
1995 Sweden: Hege Riise, Norway
1999 United States: Sun Wen, China
2003 United States: Birgit Prinz, Germany
2007 China: Marta Vieira da Silva, Brazil
(Xinhua News Agency October 1, 2007)
