Sunday, June 25, 2006

Germany coach Klinsmann: This is great fun!

Video Safari

A rampant Germany blew away Sweden in the first-half of their knockout clash to run-out 2-0 winners yesterday.
Lukas Podolski scored on just four minutes, driving home the loose ball after Sweden keeper Andreas Isaksson parried.
And Podolski finished smartly after Miroslav Klose's pass on 12 minutes.
Sweden's Teddy Lucic was sent off for a second booking on 35 minutes and their miserable day was complete when Henrik Larsson missed a second-half penalty.
It was an assured display from Germany, who always looked like adding to their lead after gaining the early advantage.

Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann said before the game Germany could not settle for anything less than the quarter-finals.
But now he says: "We will not finish in the quarter-finals. Our appetite is getting bigger and not smaller.
"In a footballing nation like Germany and with the World Cup held here, it just cannot stop now."
Klinsmann, a World Cup winner in 1990, said he has never seen a German display as impressive as the one his side produced in the opening half an hour against Sweden.
"It is just so much fun watching the team play. I have never seen Germany play like we played in the first 30 minutes."
Sweden coach Lars Lagerback slammed the dismissal of Lucic.
Lagerback said: "I don't want to speak about the referee but he had some influence on the game.
"Maybe the referee did not stand up to the pressure. It's tough enough to play a side like Germany with 11 men, let alone with 10."
He added: "My players showed a lot of character.
"I'm very proud of the way they played in the second half but we let in two easy goals at the beginning. After that it was very difficult for us."