Spain Shock Germany In Semi-Final | 2010 World Cup

Gothenburg 1958, Seville 82, Guadalajara 1986, now France and Germany shoulder-to-shoulder, toe-to-toe again in a Rio resumption of one of the World Cup's classic clashes. It's Everest Cross, Benzema slipped, Hervedes with a partial clearance, Lahm with a poor clearance which came to Pogba, Caball, Valbuena, Griezmann, lovely drop of the shoulder, Griezmann in for Benzema, gathered by Valbuena, and struck wide by Karim Benzema. Best football France have played up to now. Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, by Pogba against an appealing Kroos, Kroos to take, and fighting ball in, Mats Hummels Germany just know how, Kroos with a delicious ball in, and Hummels with the smartest little deflection in front of his man, bright of movement and thought, to nudge his second goal of World Cup 2014 and give Germany the advantage in the West European derby. Katera, Ozil, back for Katera, rolled in for Muller, shifted in towards Miroslav, closer, who went down and got no sympathy. Debussy swiftly off the scene of the accident, an accident the referee considers is all that it was, had a little bit of his shirt, not too much bodily contact, forward by Kabay, what a super ball, Griezmann, Valbuena, what a save, Benzema, elastic from Manuel Neuer, it's a fabulous ball forward, onto which originally Griezmann latches, he missed out Benzema, Valbuena hit it, scooped out by Neuer, and lifted over by Benzema, France his best chance, Valbuena's corner, all the way through to Benzema, he'll have to settle for another corner, well he is having an outstanding championship here, the German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, most people's idea of the best in the world, firm wristed, repelling it only as far as Benzema, but getting away with it thereafter, Valbuena's take, and ultimately the header over at the back stick, from Mamadou Sakho, inadvertently flicked on by Philipp Lahm, it almost worked kindly for Sakho, Muller, away comes Pogba, Benzema's pulled out wide, Karim Benzema, into the arms of Loris, of Neuer, he's made himself a yard or two here, Benzema, shooting unquestionably his best option, and that will do for now, certainly do for Germany, on a steamy hot day in Rio at halftime, in the first of the World Cup quarterfinals, it is France nil, Germany one, Valbuena again, Blaise Matuidi, has just overrun it, it is a goal kick, but France have begun the second half a little more expressively, something a bit more expansive about their game now, there's less inhibition, more willingness to pass and move, a reason for their supporters to be encouraged, Verting away, down by Matuidi, clever little touch from Valbuena, Matuidi, Benzema through the middle, and Griezmann waiting too, Matuidi's ball across, and sliding back to repel it, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Matuidi penetrating the penalty area at pace, Bastian Schweinsteiger playing in his sixth major international tournament, with the enthusiasm of a teenager, Valbuena's deep corner, comes to nothing, but Kabay can retrieve here, back in by Kabay, Varane, easy clutch in the end for Manuel Neuer, to Raphael Varane, who was out jumped in his defensive penalty area, when France conceded, got up highest in German territory there, above Boateng, Sacco, that's a really poor ball, here's Gross, Schürrle let it run, Muller, shot with a bit of fade on it, looked as though it might turn right and find the post, or even better, and the Germans as you can see, are pretty intended, got a deflection too, Thomas Muller, might have caught the heel of Sacco, Griezmann, Benzema, terrific block from Hummels, Evra, it's Evra's cross, and Neuer shouted for it, notwithstanding his goal, Mats Hummels, he's had a splendid game, Benzema had escaped Lahm, Hummels wasn't having it, Remi, running at Herbadez, Matuidi, beaten out by Neuer, and nudged away by Kadira, France now with their foot to the floor, unorthodox this from Manuel Neuer, but it got the job done, two full fists on it, forward for Ozil, who's got half the pitch to himself, but it's waiting for Lahm of all people to catch up, Ozil, and Muller missed it, and Schürrle was denied by Lloris, Yuko Lloris keeps France in the World Cup, and Schürrle ought to have sealed the deal, Lloris stuck out a long leg, and France are just about still alive, 30 seconds, out by Koscielny, Giroud, Griezmann, Benzema, Benzema's got it back, Karim Benzema, Remi, Blaise Matuidi, and the moment's gone away, that is how close they were, those are the margins, Karim Benzema, penetrative, forceful, Neuer threw up an arm, and Germany's lead remained intact, it is a very good firm-wristed save, Germany prevail again, into the World Cup's last four for a record 13th time, and amazingly semi-finalists for the fourth time in a row, there is not any nation on any continent who can match their remarkable tournament consistency, Manuel Neuer right at the end their hero, and a first global trophy win for 24 years is now just two wins away, and it is Germany who go through to the semi-final, winners over France in Rio de Janeiro, amid tears, despair and despondency, and satisfied German smiles by one goal to nil.