EURO 2012 QUALIFYING: Germany vs Belgium

Kali ini Jerman kembali dibela oleh skuad-skuad terpercayanya, yaitu Akang Ducky, Philipp Lahm, Badstuber, Martesacker, Miroslav Klose, Thomas Mueller, Lukas dodolski Podolski, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger, en Jansen. Permainannya aloooottt... banget, sumpah mendingan nonton Inggris vs Bulgaria deh yang permainannya lebih cakep. CUMA berhubung gw pendukung setia tim Jerman, makanya gw tetep pantengin meski hati udah dongkol pingin getok kepala pemainnya satu-satu (kecuali Akang Ducky, gw cubit pipinya).

Permainan Mesut Ozil kali ini cukup mengecewakan, apalagi makhluk yang bernama Lukas Podolski. Si pemain bernomer punggung 10 ini terlalu bernafsu untuk menendang bola ke gawang hingga akhirnya tidak masuk sama sekali. Permainan ini akhirnya dimenangkan oleh Jerman dengan skor 1-0, padahal banyak orang (dan orang yang taruhan) mengharapkan skor yang lebih dari tim Jerman. Kedua pemain tim Jerman, Bastian Schweinsteiger dan Cacau (yang dimasukkan pada menit-menit terakhir) mendapat kartu kuning. Padahal menurut gw yang seharusnya banjir kartu kuning tuh tim dari Belgia... wong maennya agak kasar, mungkin gara-gara tetanggaan sama Belanda kali yak *mengingat permainan super kejam Belanda pada PD 2010*.

Gol satu-satunya dicetak oleh Miroslav Klose yang bermain dengan semangat super 45. Pemain bernomer punggung 11 ini berkali-kali mencetak gol namun gagal, tapi pada akhirnya dia bisa mencetak gol setelah sebelumnya diberi umpan oleh Thomas Mueller.

Pertanyaan gw selanjutnya: Ada apa sama Khedira dan Ozil yang permainannya kurang bagus, bahkan kalah dari Martesacker dan Badstuber yang permainannya cemerlang semalam? Apa gara-gara terlalu sering berlatih dengan si maho *ngelirik CR7*? Ya sudahlah, yang jelas Jerman menang malam itu.

Player Rating

Akang Ducky
7.5
Wasn't forced to make any wonder-saves, but was always well positioned, and dealt with trouble as necessary. Great distribution as always.

Marcell Jansen
6.5
Offered far more going forward than did Jerome Boateng at the World Cup, but could have used more support from Lukas Podolski. Made a crucial challenge on Hazard late in the first half, before being surprisingly substituted at the break..

Per Mertesacker
6.5
Often played as backup to Badstuber, but tracked the Belgian attack well and played several fine balls from the back. Covered very well for Lahm once or twice in the first half.

Holger Badstuber
6.5
A bit hit-or-miss. Beaten once each by Lukaku and Hazard, but also made superb challenges on both. Was the primary defender of Lukaku and generally kept the powerful striker under wraps.

Philipp Lahm
7.5
Caught upfield on occasion in the first half, but otherwise had a rock-solid performance. Added an extra dimension to the German attack when necessary, and probably should have earned an assist after forcing a late chance for Mueller.

Bastian Schweinsteiger
6.5
Much like Badstuber, Schweinsteiger's performance was very hit-or-miss. Cheaply lost the ball early, leading to a Lukaku chance, and made a couple very sloppy fouls. Then again, his assuredness with the ball kept Germany going, and his pressure early in the second half created Klose's goal.

Sami Khedira
6.5
Kept the ball moving quickly and always knew exactly where to be, but struggled to execute. Was in position for a potential early goal but fluffed the chance with a poor finish. When deeper, he was more comfortable, and did very well to maintain possession.

Thomas Müller
7.0
Didn't manage to score, but was Germany's brightest figure in attack for much of the game. Exhibited fantastic movement and playmaking ability when he set up Oezil with a clever back-heel, and was in position to release Klose for the winner. Nearly scored late, but was denied by a fine save.

Lukas Podolski a.ka dodolski
3.0
Struggled to make an impact, even with the attacking talents of Jansen in his support. Barely touched the ball, but for a couple very ambitious shots, and was eventually substituted.

Mesut Özil
6.0
Technically brilliant, but when facing a team with organized defence, would benefit from a bit more of an attacking presence in the middle ahead of him. Linked well in attack and had a chance or two in the first half, but ultimately failed to do what he is meant to do: score and create goals.

Miroslav Klose
7.5
Says he wants to play at the 2014 World Cup, and after performances like tonight's, he just might. Worked exceptionally hard as always, and while he was rarely in a position to score, he took his one chance with aplomb.

• Substitutions
Heiko Westermann
6.0
Offered less in attack than did Jansen, but was assured in his defensive role, and should be satisfied with the quality of his return to the international scene.

Toni Kroos
6.5
Replaced Podolski, and was everything his predecessor wasn't. Like the central midfielder he is, the 20-year old sought the ball, and became intimately involved in the Germany attack. Slipped into the penalty box and almost assisted a late goal, but Klose fired wide.

Cacau
N/A
Made a brief, two-minute cameo.