World Cup 2014 Brazil » Round of 16 » Live commentary: Germany - Algeria 2:1

Fulltime Summary:
What a thrilling extra time this was! Germany had difficulties with the Algerians in the first half, since the Fennec Foxes defended really well and had some opportunities to counterattack. But every time they got through, it was Manuel Neuer saving his team from conceding a goal with his sweeper-like playing style. In fact, 21 of his 59 touches were made outside the box. After the half-time break, die Mannschaft increased their pressure and created more dangerous chances, but failed to convert those. Instead, the crowd saw a pretty onesided but goalless second half. Going into extra time, it then took Joachim Löw's team only two minutes to take the lead after Schürrle finished a quick counterattack with the 1-0. The Chelsea striker's substitution for Götze proved to be the key in cracking the opposition's defense wide open, since he was also involved in the development of the 2-0. But of course the Desert Warriors also had little energy left in the extra time due to their intensive style of play in regular time. So after they conceded the first goal, the Algerians had no means to attack and generate pressure. Still, the Greens managed to score at least one goal at the very end of the match, but it didn't matter. Overall, Germany had 78:22% possession and 22:7 attempts (16:4 on target). Therefore, the Western Europeans rightfully proceed to the quarterfinals while Vahid Halilhodžić's team head home, though leaving a good impression.

Goooal for Algeria, 2:1 by Abdelmoumen Djabou
What's happening now?! Féghouli sends in a beautiful curling cross from the right wing and finds Djabou at the rear corner of the six-yard box! The 27-year-old slides into the cross and finishes into the bottom right corner of the goal. But this probably comes a little too late...

The Desert Warriors counterattack and Slimani gets near the penalty area! But Boateng can stop him with a clean sliding tackle.

Féghouli dashes down the right wing and past Höwedes, but Boateng comes to the rescua and slams the ball out of play. Algeria's coach Halilhodžić immediately plays it back onto the pitch and is rewarded by the crowd with cheers.

Of course the Algerian players are exhausted after defending and running for such a long time. Therefore Mandi can't control the ball and passes it out of play at the right defending side, having a little cramp in his calf, too.

Schweinsteiger still seems to have some problems with his calf and has to be substituted. This isn't surprising since the 29-year-old wasn't constantly fit in the past season. Kramer comes onto the pitch and makes his first world cup appearance.

Schweinsteiger puts some great ball handling on display! He maintains possession at the right sideline and passes it to Kroos.

Müller tries to flick the ball onto the right corner of the goal from about 20 metres distance, but his attempt goes off target.

Halliche, who earlier in the game had a cramp, is replaced by Bougherra.

Now the Desert Warriors have to show initiative and play more offensively. Just continuing to wait for counterattacks probably won't cut it.

Schürrle and Müller try to break through the right hand side, but handle the ball too clumsily and eventually lose it to the opposition's defenders.

Unbelieaveable! Neuer doesn't have to make many conventional goalkeeper saves tonight, but rather has the job of a sweeper. Again he comes to the rescue before Slimani can convert a long ball.

Kroos makes the corner after some retardation and first it's cleared. But then. Féghouli is penalised for playing hand ball.

Müller has to score with this chance! Müller gets the ball at the right channel of the box and finishes from about eight metres distance with a sidefooted shot, but it goes past the right post.

Germany have a chance! Müller succeeds in breaking through the right wing and provides Schweinsteiger with a cross. But the Bayern Munich midfielder's header goes wide.

The Fennec Foxes manage to counterattack again! However, Soudani's low cross from the left is blocked by Boateng fro a throw-in.

Halliche commits a foul and provides the Germans with a free kick from the right hand side. But die Mannschaft fails to use this opportunity, the ball is cleared away.

Mustafi can't even walk by himself and is replaced by Khedira. This means that Lahm will take over Mustafi's position as right back, while the Real Madrid player will act as defensive midfielder.

It looks like the German's pressure has an effect on the Algerians, making the Fennec Foxes' defense less effective. This way Löw's team now have a little bit more space for attacking.

After Mostefa fails to clear the ball, Lahm delivers it to Schürrle, who can'tz break through on the right, but at least gets a corner for Germany. The first one is cleared out of play and the second one comes to nothing.

The Desert Warriors maintain the ball for quite some time and are being rewarded by the crows with several "Olé" chants. But after a minute or so, die Mannschaft regains possession.

What a chance! Kroos finds Schweinsteiger with a diagonal pass into the box and the Bayern Munich midfielder lays off for Lahm. But the skipper's shot from the edge of the box misses the top right corner of the goal.

Germany show more drive, now that Schürrle is on the pitch! First he almost converts a nice crossfield pass from Müller, but his effort is deflected and goes out of play on the left by-line. The following corner from Kroos finds Mustafi, whose header onto the bottom right corner is saved by M'Bolhi.

Rafik Halliche (Algeria) is shown a yellow card
Halliche misses the ball with his sliding tackle and only hits Schweinsteiger's shin. Consequently, the Académica de Coimbra defender is booked for his challenge.

It's a balanced game now, with both teams having some interesting attacks. Mostefa's shot from long range is blocked by Boateng and subsequently cleared away by the omnipresent Neuer.

Although the Desert Warriors' long ball game looks dangerous, it still lacks precision and timing. Again, one of the Algerians is offside.

That could've been a chance! Özil manages to break through the right hand side and passes into the back area, but Lahm's shot from about six metres distance is blocked.

Again Neuer has to save everything for his team! The Algerian's long balls prove to be quite a challenge for the German defence, this time it's Mertesacker having difficulties in getting the ball under control and finally losing it to Slimani. Though the centre back manages to pressure the striker, it's the keeper clearing the ball out of play with a sliding tackle.

That's a dangerous cross! Again it's Özil on the left, looking to find Lahm at the right post. Instead, the ball almost goes in, but M'Bolhi can push it over the crossbar for a corner, which comes to nothing.

Die Mannschaft look insecure now, losing the ball again and again. One really shouldn't underestimate the Fennec Foxes!

The Algerian's get the ball into the back of the net, but it doesn't count! Soudani's cross from the left finds Slimani, who's able to finish with a header into the top right corner. But the forward is offside at the moment his teammate centres the ball.

That's Germany's first effort! Schweinsteiger fires from about 25 metres distance, but M'Bolhi manages to punch the left-footed shot in the air and catch it afterwards.

Algeria almost have another counterattack after Boateng loses the ball, bud Mertesacker is able to regain possesion for his team.

Repeatedly, Mustafi tries to send in low crosses from the right, but fails to deliver the ball to Müller.

The first minutes prove to be kind of chaotic, the ball bounces back and forth. Die Mannschaft are trying to take over control, but aren't successful in doing so, yet.

The game is underway!

The only player on the pitch who already was booked once in this tournament is Germany's Benedikt Höwedes. If he should receive another yellow card tonight, he would be banned for the quarterfinals, providing that his team proceeds to the next round.

Although the Algerians don't have many famous players in their roster, there are at least three of them whose names could be familiar for European football fans: Valencia midfielder Sofiane Féghouli, Saphir Taïder (Inter Milan) and Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon), who already scored two goals in this WC.

Instead of focussing on the past, Löw turned his attention to the present and warned his players not to treat the Algerians lightly, since they are an "compact, hard-running and aggressive team,". In addition, the former Stuttgart coach also tried to lower the expectations of the German supporters: "Anyone who thinks that an easy opponent is waiting for us in the next round is making an enormous mistake."

While Löw tried to minimize the significance of that event by stating that "most of the players weren't even born then and something which took place over 30 years ago is not really a relevant subject", his counterpart didn't think so. Vahid Halilhodžić said that "no one has forgotten what happened in 1982, the players will be motivated to get their revenge, but the Germans will also be going everything to get to the quarter-finals."

Borussia Dortmund centre back Mats Hummels isn't able to play tonight due to being ill for some days now. German head coach Joachim Löw will replace the 25-year-old with Shkodran Mustafi, who will act as right back while Jérôme Boateng will take over Hummels' position. It was also stated that Lukas Podolski wouldn't be part of the roster, too. But actually the Arsenal winger will be sitting on the bench, despite having suffered a minor thigh injury. Mario Götze will be starting in his place.

The Germans came first in group G, beating Portugal 4-0 and drawing 2-2 with Ghana. Since they also won their third game against USA (1-0), die Mannschaft stayed on top of the group with seven points.