Germans watch team scratch out win

Updated: Friday June 21, 2002 10:50 a.m. ET

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BERLIN (AP) -- German-American friendship was put on hold Friday as confident locals tensely watched their World Cup team scratch out a win against the underdog U.S. squad supported by small groups of optimistic expatriates.

Thousands at downtown Berlin's Potsdamer Platz to watch the quarterfinal on a big-screen TV waved German flags and roared as Michael Ballack headed the game's only goal late in the first half. Up to then, the smattering of American fans in the crowd had plenty to cheer.

"The States has nothing to lose," said Dennis Freeman, a 20-year-old native of San Diego living in Berlin who draped himself in the American flag. "Germany has a reputation."

After the victory, impromptu parades broke out in cities across the country. Frankfurt's red light district exploded with a chorus of whistles, blowing horns, and cries of "Deutschland!!" as fans waved red, gold and black flags.

Hundreds marched down the capital's Kurfuerstendamm boulevard singing victory songs, beating on drums, and shouting in jubilation.

Going into the game, the Germans were the overwhelming favorites. The three-time champions had 51 World Cup victories to the Americans' six.

"It's really fun as an American to be the underdog," said Anna LeVine, a 32-year-old photographer from New York City who works in Berlin. "It's so rare that we're in this position."

At the Melrose Bar and Grill near Kurfuerstendamm, screams went up when Tony Sanneh's header hit the German goal's side netting in the dying minutes. After the game, even the Americans joined in the celebrations.

"They should have run circles around us," said Karen Snedker, 27, of Seattle. "The fact that it was only 1-0 shows a lot."

Her husband, Steve Pfaff, 32, said the match shows the United States is on the rise as a soccer power.

"The USA is the future because there are so many young kids playing soccer now," he said.

At Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, about 100 Americans and Germans watched the game together in an event organized the U.S. military's 6th Area Support Group.

Some of the American fans wore stars-and-stripes T-shirts, and one man walked around with a soccer ball on his head with the American flag sticking out of the top. The close game fed into the American supporters' belief that their team would not go down easily.

"Never underestimate the American spirit," said Sheree Beauchamp, a secretary at the barracks from Wimberley, Texas.

Peter Gruen, a 40-year-old from Stuttgart who works at the base cheered for Germany, but said he had hoped for a close result.

"These are our good friends," Gruen said.

Watching the game at Bremen's Johnny B. Goode pub, James Redmond of San Francisco never gave up hope even though the United States had never won a World Cup game in which it trailed.

Even after the game, Redmond, a trainer for the Bremerhaven Seahawks American football team, said the United States should have won.

"I know the Americans were the better team today, but we made our own mistakes."

(dr-gm)