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According to script
Germany advances with 2-0 victory over Iran
Posted: Saturday September 19, 1998 11:52 AM
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Christian Woerns of Germany (right) drives past an Iran defender in a 2-0 German win to advance to the second round Ben Radford/Allsport |
MONTPELLIER, France (CNN/SI)
- German in style, and German in result. There was litle flash and little
firepower from Germany, but
the Germans got the win they needed to move into the second round.
Germany's vaunted pair of forwards, Oliver Bierhoff and Juergen
Klinsmann, scored on a pair of headers early in the second half, using
their supremacy in the air to power Germany to a 2-0 victory over Iran on
Thursday.
The win lifted the Germans to the top of Group F and a second-round
meeting Monday with second-place Group E finisher Mexico, also in
Montpellier.
Germany avoids having to play powerhouse rival the Netherlands
, which won Group E. The Dutch will meet Yugoslavia,
which finished second to Germany on goal-difference after beating the United
States 1-0 in Nantes. Both teams finished with seven points.
"We wanted to be first and we achieved our objective," German coach
Berti Vogts said. "We can't choose our opponents and Mexico has shined in
this World Cup. There are no easy teams in the second round."
The two precision goals highlighted a workmanlike performance for the
European Champion, which is seeking its fourth World Cup title.
"We can't be happy with our first half, but we managed to open up the
game in the second," Vogts said.
Iran, which scored its first-ever World Cup victory over the United
States on Sunday, was eliminated, along with the Americans.
"We played against a very experienced team, which is more physical and
better technically than us. But this World Cup was a great experience for
us and I hope it did a lot for the future of soccer in our country," said
Iranian coach Jalal Talebi.
The game pitted Germany's methodical precision against Iran's swift
counterattacks. Iran came out with a defensive strategy, choking the German
offense and countering whenever possible.
Iranian goalkeeper Ahmad Abedzadeh didn't have a difficult save in the
first half, while counterpart Andreas Koepke had to dive to his right to
stop Karim Bagheri's 35-yard drive off a set play.
The Germans stepped up the pace after the interval and it soon paid
off.
Thomas Haessler and Bierhoff, the combination that worked so well when
Germany won the European title two years ago, connected again to open the
scoring in the 50th minute.
Haessler made a clinical right-wing cross to Bierhoff, who left
defenders Mohammad Khakpour and Mehdi Pashazadeh bumping into each other as
his header bounced high into the net from eight yards.
"We tried hard in the first halftime, but it didn't work," Bierhoff
said. "We were always afraid that Iran would somehow score.
"We played better in the second half and after we scored the first
goal, things opened up a bit. We tried to come over the flanks and cross
and finally it worked when Thomas crossed the ball over to me."
The second goal, in the 58th minute, was also well-crafted. Joerg
Heinrich chased down a long pass and one-touched the ball right to
Bierhoff, who one-timed his shot off the left post. Klinsmann was there for
the easy rebound, putting it in with an acrobatic, diving header.
Klinsmann's goal was his eighth in World Cup first-round play. He
scored four times in Germany's three opening-round games in the United
States four years ago, twice in the 1990 group matches in Italy. He also
scored in the Germans' France' 98 opener.
Before the game, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel met with French
police providing security at the stadium. Kinkel also expressed his
government's sympathy for French police officer Daniel Nivel, who was
beaten into a coma by German hooligans Sunday after the Germany-Yugoslavia
game in Lens.
Lineups
Germany: Andreas Koepke; Olaf Thon (Dietmar Hamann, 46th),
Juergen Kohler, Christian Woerns; Joerg Heinrich, Michael Tarnat (Christian
Ziege, 77th), Thomas Helmer, Lothar Matthaeus, Thomas Haessler (Ulf
Kirsten, 70th); Juergen Klinsmann, Oliver Bierhoff.
Iran: Ahmad Abedzadeh; Mohammad Khakpour, Mehdi Pashazadeh;
Nader Mohammadkhani, Karim Bagheri, Hamid Estili, Mehrdad Minavand, Mehdi
Mahdavikia, Javad Zarincheh (Sirous Din Monhammadi, 71st); Khodadad Azizi,
Ali Daei.
Referee: Epifanio Gonzalez Chavez, Paraguay.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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