The German dream is alive

Cry Argentina: Pekerman’s two decision errors cost Cup a Latin flavour

The revival of Evita, currently stunning London’s West End, implores otherwise but this really is the time to cry for Argentina. If “the Dream is still alive”, as Germany’s papers put it his morning, it is largely because Argentina’s coach Jose Pekerman made two nightmare decisions — bringing off Riquelme, even though he was off-colour, and not sending on Messi — to rob his team of a place in the semi-finals.

This was a match Argentina had in the bag; for the first 45 minutes their formation was perfect, especially the midfield. They were slow in getting into gear but once they did, after about 25 minutes, they began to have fun. Tevez was a bulldog with the dancing feet, turning defenders inside and out; Maxi Rodriguez had a couple of special moments and even Riquelme was shaking off sleep. Behind them, Mascherano was mopping up any stray balls getting too close to the Argentina box.

It got even better as the second half started, the goal coming soon after the resumption when Ayala outjumped the giant German defence to meet Riquelme’s corner.

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Germany had not been behind in any match of this tournament and, at this stage, you’d have bet a year’s EMIs on Argentina — Messi waiting in the wings — to step up the pressure and go for the kill. Instead Pekerman — who has since stepped down from the job — brought off Riquelme and sent on Cambiasso, a holding midfielder.

Seven minutes later he compounded that mistake by taking off Crespo, the proven goalscorer, and sending on not Messi or even Aimar but the veteran Julio Cruz.

That’s when one thought that a German goal would change the match; Argentina, having shot their bolt by using all three substitutes, would have no way back.

A minute later, Klose scored his fifth goal of this World Cup and as the confidence surged through the German side, Argentina visibly wilted. Lacking leadership, guile and the raw genius of Messi, they floundered. And were skewered in the shootout.

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They return to Buenos Aires and many inquests. For their passionate fans, those lines from Evita, sung by Che after Eva Peron’s death, are especially poignant: “You let down your people Evita/you were supposed to have been immortal/that’s all they wanted, not much to ask for/but in the end you could not deliver”.

Instead, the deliverance was for Germany, who showed, yet again, the character Juergen Klinsmann has imbued in the team. They love scoring early but even when they don’t, as against Poland, they keep playing till the end. Their rigorous fitness training is paying off, and will come in handy if they and this weather continue for the next week. There are two huge factors in their favour: the midfield marshalling of Michael Ballack, who seems to be just everywhere at all times, and the crowd support. Not just in the stands, in a match situation, but out in the streets, on TV, in every walk of public life.

There’s one more factor: Germany have never lost a match at Dortmund. Against Italy, who are beginning to slip back into their own smooth groove, every little bit counts.q