PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
2014 FIFA WC: Argentina chasing third win, Germany fourth (A preview)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (PANA) - The 2014 FIFA World Cup final match here Sunday will certainly maintain the tradition of an indigenous coach winning the World Cup as Germany and Argentina clash for the third time.
No World Cup-winning side in the past 19 editions had ever been handled by a foreign coach. But one jinx waiting to be broken is for a European team to win the World Cup in the Americas. Also, no continent has ever won the World Cup on three consecutive occasions.
For the 20th time in 20 editions, the title will not be won by a foreign coach.
European teams, Italy and Spain, are the last two winners. A win by Germany on Sunday will make Europe the first continent to have three consecutive wins.
Before the final match, Germany and Argentina have already met 20 times and Argentina lead the overall series with nine wins to Germany’s six, plus five draws.
Their last engagement was a friendly game on 15 August, 2012, in Frankfurt, which the South Americans won 3-1, courtesy of a Sami Khedira own goal plus strikes by Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi, before Benedikt Howedes netted a consolation for the hosts.
The Germans played with 10 men for an hour following the expulsion of goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.
On this latest meeting, the pair’s seventh in the FIFA World Cup, Germany versus Argentina becomes the most frequent fixture in the competition together with Brazil-Sweden and Germany-Serbia (including Yugoslavia).
Furthermore, with Sunday's match being the third World Cup title-decider between these two sides, Germany versus Argentina is now also the most-played Final ahead of Brazil-Italy, which has occurred twice.
The Germans have the better head-to-head record in World Cup meetings, with three wins, two draws and one defeat. In Finals, however, the pair are level-pegging with one victory apiece, Argentina having triumphed in 1986 following on from Germany FR in 1990.
Germany won the last World Cup skirmish 4-0 in the 2010 quarter-finals and the scorers included current squad members Miroslav Klose (with a brace) and Thomas Muller, plus Arne Friedrich.
Klose also netted the equaliser that secured a 1-1 draw with Argentina in the 2006 quarter-finals. A goalless period of extra-time followed before the Germans eventually went through on penalties.
The Germans are playing a tournament-record eighth World Cup Final, having won three and lost four. Argentina, who last reached this stage 24 years ago, are contesting their fifth decider and have two wins and two losses under their belt.
-0- PANA KS/VAO 12July2014
No World Cup-winning side in the past 19 editions had ever been handled by a foreign coach. But one jinx waiting to be broken is for a European team to win the World Cup in the Americas. Also, no continent has ever won the World Cup on three consecutive occasions.
For the 20th time in 20 editions, the title will not be won by a foreign coach.
European teams, Italy and Spain, are the last two winners. A win by Germany on Sunday will make Europe the first continent to have three consecutive wins.
Before the final match, Germany and Argentina have already met 20 times and Argentina lead the overall series with nine wins to Germany’s six, plus five draws.
Their last engagement was a friendly game on 15 August, 2012, in Frankfurt, which the South Americans won 3-1, courtesy of a Sami Khedira own goal plus strikes by Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi, before Benedikt Howedes netted a consolation for the hosts.
The Germans played with 10 men for an hour following the expulsion of goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.
On this latest meeting, the pair’s seventh in the FIFA World Cup, Germany versus Argentina becomes the most frequent fixture in the competition together with Brazil-Sweden and Germany-Serbia (including Yugoslavia).
Furthermore, with Sunday's match being the third World Cup title-decider between these two sides, Germany versus Argentina is now also the most-played Final ahead of Brazil-Italy, which has occurred twice.
The Germans have the better head-to-head record in World Cup meetings, with three wins, two draws and one defeat. In Finals, however, the pair are level-pegging with one victory apiece, Argentina having triumphed in 1986 following on from Germany FR in 1990.
Germany won the last World Cup skirmish 4-0 in the 2010 quarter-finals and the scorers included current squad members Miroslav Klose (with a brace) and Thomas Muller, plus Arne Friedrich.
Klose also netted the equaliser that secured a 1-1 draw with Argentina in the 2006 quarter-finals. A goalless period of extra-time followed before the Germans eventually went through on penalties.
The Germans are playing a tournament-record eighth World Cup Final, having won three and lost four. Argentina, who last reached this stage 24 years ago, are contesting their fifth decider and have two wins and two losses under their belt.
-0- PANA KS/VAO 12July2014
