Joachim Löw had been asked about the curse of world champions past. Three of the previous four World Cup winners had exited at the group phase – France (2002), Italy (2010), Spain (2014) – and the Germany manager knew that his team stood to be the next. It added yet another layer to his country’s angst, after the debacle that was the defeat against Mexico in the opening Group F tie.
This was pretty much win or bust for Germany, a team groping with unfamiliar uncertainties, and they threw everything they had at Sweden during a wild night by the Black Sea in what was arguably the game of the tournament.
Written by David Hytner at the Fisht Stadium
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/23/toni-kroos-germany-sweden-world-cup-match-report under the title “Toni Kroos brings off late miracle for Germany to stun Sweden”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
