Germany beat Ireland to secure World Cup qualification

Cologne - Germany maintained their impeccable FIFA World Cup qualifying record by rubberstamping their ticket to Brazil 2014 with a 3-0 victory against the Republic of Ireland.

Sami Khedira’s deflected strike was the home side’s reward for a dominant first-half and aside from a momentary scare either side of the interval, Joachim Löw’s charges were in complete control as Andre Schürrle added a superb second, before Mesut Özil's injury-time strike made absolutely sure the three-time world champions clinched top spot in European qualifying Group C with a game to spare.

Germany simply in a different league despite Ireland’s best efforts
There was so clearly a defensive game plan put in place by Noel King’s Republic of Ireland. It didn’t work but not many plans will work against this German side.

King's men get a German lesson
THIS was men against boys. Noel King's best effort to send out a team against Germany washed up on a rocky shore in Cologne. Ireland were nothing more than bit players on a qualification party night.

More than normal, the pre-match jitters came on strong at the sight of Germany's star-spangled line-up. Even more so when King's team-sheet appeared.

Ireland soccer boss lashes RTE pundit Eamon Dunphy and labels analysis a ‘joke’
“Eamon who? That’s a comedy programme that they have on after every match isn’t it? Maybe it’s a joke but I don’t get it.”

Everything went well for me bar the goals, says Ireland's hero keeper David Forde
"On a personal level, it's nice, but it's just disappointing overall."

Sitzfleisch

Low says Germany are 'close to perfection'

Low: Qualification went smoothly
“Overall it was a very good qualification. We won eight out of nine games and the ninth should have been a win, too,”

Joachim Low hopeful of new Germany deal

Germany out to settle score against Sweden

The teams that have qualified so far:

Brazil (hosts)
Japan
Australia
Iran
South Korea
Italy
Holland
Argentina
Costa Rica
USA
Colombia
Belgium
Switzerland
Germany

Did you see that brilliant goal Mexico scored yesterday? I don’t like the Mexicans, but dang that was a beautiful thing to watch.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3078086/posts?page=23#23

Whatever, not important.

Javier “Chicharito” (Little Pea as the English press translates) Hernandez, I can’t help but think what a well-mannered kid even if I don’t cheer on Mexico.

For people in the USA, Direct TV channel 455 Univision HD Deportes had Ireland Germany on and now, is replaying the France Australia game. Might as well watch, blow out, Socceroos sacked their manager though a friendly, Brazil defeated them badly, France score 2 times, in the first minutes at least. What pushovers Australia is in this game, Benzema. No defence though.

Good luck to the German team.

And Belgium, USA, etc.

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