Beckenbauer: Germany lucky to win

Updated: Friday June 21, 2002 10:49 a.m. ET

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BERLIN (Reuters) -- Former Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer said that the three-times winners were lucky to beat the United States 1-0 in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday.

"America were clearly the better team for 90 minutes," said Beckenbauer, an analyst for Germany's pay-television network. "We'll have to raise our game considerably after this. Hopefully, good fortunate will remain faithful to us.

Beckenbauer also said Germany were fortunate the referee failed to award the Americans a penalty kick four minutes into the second half when German defender Torsten Frings handled on the line after Oliver Kahn had half-saved a Gregg Berhalter shot.

"It's actually a clear penalty kick when one's hand touches the ball on the goal line," he said. "It should have been a penalty."

Beckenbauer, who helped Germany win the World Cup as a player in 1974 and led them to the title as coach in 1990, said Germany had been passive for long stretches against the Americans.

"I can't explain it," he said. "Leading 1-0 you have to keep trying to penetrate into the other team's defence."

Beckenbauer said even though the Americans had played strongly, Germany would probably not have survived had they faced a more dangerous opponent.

"The opponent wasn't Brazil or England or Argentina," he said. "This was America!"

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