21:04:00
Former German international Michael Ballack praises the impact of the younger members of Germany's squad.
They had hidden behind the easiest of clichés: Records are meant to be broken. But what about curses? You have to be Richard Dawkins to not believe that there was something mystical, something beyond your control.
Before Saturday night in Bordeaux, Germany had taken on Italy eight times in competitive games. And eight times they had failed to win. That was more than a weight on their back; it was a full-fledged, heavy, 18-wheeler across their shoulder blades.
But this time, Germany shook it off. This time, they dug deep into themselves -- ignoring the doubts, second guesses and half-century of history -- and finally came away with a win.
Germany (6) 1
Italy (5) 1
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"[Jonas] Hector and [Joshua] Kimmich, to think they are so young and this was their first-ever shoot-out," German boss Jogi Loew said after the game. "And what they did was fantastic."
With his form-fitting black V-neck sweater and black oversize watch matching his black helmet of hair, Loew tried to appear relaxed after the game, but he was clearly and totally spent. He had taken a major decision before the game, one that required banishing superstition and relying entirely on reason: He switched to a back three.
Four years ago, at Euro 2012, Loew made one of the biggest calls of his career ahead of the semifinal clash against Italy. Fearing Andrea Pirlo's playmaking, he rejiggered his formation, inserting a central midfielder such as Toni Kroos for a winger such as Marco Reus. And it blew up in his face, as Italy won 2-1.
This time, he did it again. He sacrificed a winger (Julian Draxler) for an extra center-back, Benedikt Howedes. The 4-2-3-1 became a 3-5-2, and whether you believe it was to mirror Antonio Conte's setup or against two strikers and wing-backs who play way up the pitch, it was simply smart to have an extra body back there.
"When I saw that he had changed it all up against us, I realized just how much respect the world champions were showing us," Conte said.
Manuel Neuer kept his poise and focus as Germany willed themselves to a historic win versus Italy.
Conte too made a change, albeit an enforced one. Daniele De Rossi, his own deep-lying playmaker, was not passed fit to start. With Thiago Motta, his natural replacement, suspended, he opted to insert Stefano Sturaro into midfield and shift Marco Parolo into that role. It was a stretch and a gamble, like asking a guy who fillets fish to perform surgery. And yet Conte felt he had no choice.
The first half was hugely tactical, perhaps more enjoyable for the analysts than those watching on TV. Both teams pressed in midfield and both spread wide only to bunch up again, like an accordion. Both tried to unbalance the opposition. Germany's three center-backs took turns patrolling Graziano Pelle's space, Eder effectively shadowed Toni Kroos in the deep playmaker position and Parolo battled gamely, but without De Rossi's talent and with the added burden of more German bodies in the way.
"We knew Italy were strongest in the middle of the park and we had to take it away," said Loew. "And so we did."
Sami Khedira limped off after just 15 minutes, making way for Schweinsteiger. Italy had a good chance when Kimmich lost a ball over the top, and Mattia De Sciglio raced on to it and crossed for a wide-open Pelle, only for the hulking Jerome Boateng to materialize out of nowhere and nudge the ball away. After potshots from Muller and Mario Gomez, Italy had their best chance at the end of the first half: Leonardo Bonucci sprung the off-side trap to find Emanuele Giaccherini, who cut it back for Sturaro. But the Juve man scuffed his shot wide.
Germany came out with added oomph in the second half. Gomez was finding his rhythm. His excellent hold-up work set up Muller, who misfired. Italy were beginning to wobble. They racked up three yellow cards in quick succession. It wasn't a nasty game, but the frustration at the tactical stalemate was showing and, in the 65th minute, Germany willed their way through.
Gomez rampaged down the flank, and proving again that he's more than just a target man, he threaded a pass inside for the galloping Hector. The youngster took it in stride and squared for Ozil, who beat Gianluigi Buffon from close range.
It very easily could have been 2-0 moments later:
Gomez stayed just to the right side of the offside trap and ended up clear, in front of Buffon. The last thing you expected was a flick, but that's just what Gomez delivered and Buffon, somehow, batted it away even with a faint deflection off Giorgio Chiellini.
"It should have been 2-0," Loew said later. "But that was an incredible save from Buffon."
Gianluigi Buffon made several spectacular saves to keep the Azzurri in it, but in the end, Germany prevailed.
That save, coupled with what would happen 10 minutes later, were a punch in the gut to the Germans. Alessandro Florenzi sent a second ball into the box, Chiellini headed backward and Boateng deflected it with his hands high in the air, like a guy on a trampoline doing the "Y-M-C-A" routine. Viktor Kassai pointed to the spot and up stepped Bonucci, who had never taken a penalty in open play, to coolly slot it past Manuel Neuer for the equalizer. (Too cool, perhaps: His stutter step came within a whisker of violating the new penalty rules, and a more pedantic official might have disallowed it.)
On it went to extra time. Draxler (on for Gomez) sent an overhead kick high from an excellent position. Conte finally sent on the little folk hero, Lorenzo Insigne, and in the 109th minute, Germany had the chance to kill the game. It was a 3-on-2 counter, but Draxler's assist for Muller was just beyond the reach of his long limbs. Again, fate had toyed with the Germans, giving them a chance and then snatching it away. But fate wasn't finished. We were going to penalties.
Germany won the toss, and Schweinsteiger chose to shoot at the Italian end and go second. An unconventional choice, any way you slice it, though maybe there was some superstition too: both Poland and Switzerland had shot at their own end, and both had exited.
And then came the penalty sequence with its unhealthy dose of drama. There were 16 in all, each a minifilm of its own. Neuer and Buffon seized center stage, as two of the world's greatest ought to do.
"I had never been through anything like this, not with so many players coming up to shoot," Neuer said. "It was genuine drama. We couldn't beat Italy after ninety minutes, we couldn't beat Italy after 120 minutes, so we had to beat them this way. From the penalty spot. It was the only way."
And still, it looked as if it was slipping away.
"I've never seen anything like this before, a team that misses three of its first five penalties and then goes on to win." Buffon said. "I don't think it had ever happened, in fact. I mean, it's inexplicable."
Germany's first tournament win over Italy sets them up nicely for the Euro 2016 semifinals.
Buffon wore his emotions on his sleeve, as he always does. Neuer was outwardly calm, inwardly boiling.
"It was really hard," Neuer said. "I had to concentrate on my job and the next penalty taker, but every time my teammates came up to shoot, I found myself wanting them to score. I knew I could not let it influence me. Believe me, it was hard."
It was maybe hardest of all for Boateng. It was his handball that led to the equalizer, though it was also his last-ditch tackle on Pelle that stopped Germany from going a goal down in the first place. And when it was his turn from the spot, he converted it effortlessly.
But as Hector squared up to shoot, Boateng was on his knees, looking away. When the ball trickled pas Buffon and Germany found themselves in the semifinal, he seemed to leap higher than anyone. He would not be a scapegoat, but a hero.
And he was not the only one.
"It hurts to lose like this, but Germany are a tremendous team -- the best in the world from any vantage point," said Conte. "We tried tooth and nail to hang on. But this is football. Sometimes it's kind to you, and sometimes it's bitter. This team gave me everything they had, and I will always be grateful to them and carry them in my heart. We created something magical."
They did, and they can be proud.
As for Germany, they won this with their minds and hearts as much as their skills. And that makes it more special. Almost as special as breaking the curse.
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