World Cup qualifier: Germany maintain four-point lead
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| Ashley Williams(o.g) 48 |
Germany stayed at the top of Group 4, four points clear of Russia, thanks to a 2-0 win over a brave, if outclassed, Wales at the Millennium Stadium.
Germany skipper Michael Ballack opened the scoring in devastating fashion on 11 minutes. The Chelsea man picked up the ball from Thomas Hitzlsperger, got his head up, and cracked a 30-yard drive past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and inside the post.
And the Germans were lucky not to concede a first-half penalty for a desperate handball.
Central defender Serdar Tasci threw himself in Joe Ledley's way inside the area and appeared to use his hand to deflect the ball away from danger. Norwegian referee Terje Hauge was perfectly placed, but waved away the home team's appeals.
The game was effectively settled by an unfortunate own goal from defender Ashley Williams three minutes into the second half.
Mario Gómez chased a long ball into Wales' penalty area and managed to squeeze it back across goal, where Williams stuck out a boot and deflected it straight past Hennessey.
Robert Earnshaw did draw a quick one-handed stop by Robert Enke, but the hosts were never really in it as a contest.
Lineups:
Wales: Hennessey; Ricketts (Gunter 54), Williams, Collins, Bale; Nyatanga (Cotterill 75), Davies, Ramsey, Ledley; Earnshaw, Vokes (Evans 62)
Germany: Enke; Beck, Mertesacker, Tasci, Lahm; Schweinsteiger (Helmes 87), Rolfes (Westermann 79), Ballack, Hitzlsperger; Gómez, Podolski (Trochowksi 73)
Wales v Germany goal & highlights
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Germany skipper Michael Ballack opened the scoring in devastating fashion on 11 minutes. The Chelsea man picked up the ball from Thomas Hitzlsperger, got his head up, and cracked a 30-yard drive past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and inside the post.
And the Germans were lucky not to concede a first-half penalty for a desperate handball.
Central defender Serdar Tasci threw himself in Joe Ledley's way inside the area and appeared to use his hand to deflect the ball away from danger. Norwegian referee Terje Hauge was perfectly placed, but waved away the home team's appeals.
The game was effectively settled by an unfortunate own goal from defender Ashley Williams three minutes into the second half.
Mario Gómez chased a long ball into Wales' penalty area and managed to squeeze it back across goal, where Williams stuck out a boot and deflected it straight past Hennessey.
Robert Earnshaw did draw a quick one-handed stop by Robert Enke, but the hosts were never really in it as a contest.
Lineups:
Wales: Hennessey; Ricketts (Gunter 54), Williams, Collins, Bale; Nyatanga (Cotterill 75), Davies, Ramsey, Ledley; Earnshaw, Vokes (Evans 62)
Germany: Enke; Beck, Mertesacker, Tasci, Lahm; Schweinsteiger (Helmes 87), Rolfes (Westermann 79), Ballack, Hitzlsperger; Gómez, Podolski (Trochowksi 73)
Wales v Germany goal & highlights
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