Germans have the last laugh

Mario Goetze scored a superb extra-time winner as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 on Sunday in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro to become the 1st European team to win a World Cup held in South America. Goetze struck in the 113th minute of a gripping battle at Maracana Stadium as Argentina superstar Lionel Messi’s hopes of emulating Diego Maradona ended in defeat. Germany have now won 4 World Cups, putting the European powerhouses just one behind Brazil’s record tally of 5. They last won World Cup in 1990 in Italy. German coach Joachim Loew revealed he had encouraged Goetze to eclipse Messi when he came on as an 88th-minute substitute. ‘I told Mario Goetze, ‘Go out and show the world you are better than Messi,’ he said. A gripping final before 74,738 spectators, which included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, looked destined for penalties after both sides had failed to break through stubborn defending with the scores deadlocked at 0-0. Germany’s win sparked an explosion of joy in their homeland and in host nation Brazil, which had been dreading the prospect of South American rivals Argentina winning the title on its territory. Fireworks exploded across Berlin as more than 250,000 fans jumped for joy in the heart of the capital, many singing ‘Oh, it’s beautiful!’ and chanting ‘Super Deutschland!’ Tens of thousands of Argentine fans who had swarmed Rio’s Copacabana beach ahead of the game fell silent after the defeat as gleeful Germans and Brazilians partied, according to AFP.