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World Cup final results: Germany beats Argentina 1-0 with late goal from Mario Gotze

By Mike Dyce

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Germany and Argentina squared off in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil with the trophy on the line. These two teams had met twice before in this game, each winning once.

For Lionel Messi, the pressure was on to try and cement his legacy by lifting the sport’s most prized trophy. Before the game, Messi sent a message to his fans on Facebook.

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“Tomorrow, we will play the most important match of our lives for our country,” Messi wrote. “My dreams and my hopes are being fulfilled due to the hard work and sacrifice of a team that has given everything from match one.

“We knew it was possible. Our people, the Argentines, they have carried us here. But the dream is not over yet. Tomorrow we want to win, and we are ready!”

The game started off with a back and forth between each team. Germany getting a set piece just outside the box that they failed to convert. Moments later the Lionel Messi took off down the far touchline and pulled up being unable to turn the corner, then he turned the jets on again and got to the end line. Messi sent in a pretty poor pass into the box that would’ve been a goal had it reached it’s intended recipient. Instead, Bastian Schweinsteiger was there to clear the ball away comfortably.

In the 13th minute, Miroslav Klose almost got his head on a cross. Argentina’s Martín Demichelis did a good job keeping Klose away from the ball though.

In the 21st minute, Toni Kroos inexplicably tried to head a ball back towards his goal. The ball instead found a wide open Gonzalo Higuaín behind the German defense who went in on goal all alone and took a shot on goal. Higuaín couldn’t seize the opportunity sending the ball wide of the goal.

In the 30th minute, Gonzalo Higuaín put a ball in the back of the net. Ezequiel Lavezzi sent in a beautiful curling ball, and Higuaín got a foot on it and put it in the back of the net but he was clearly offsides by about two yards. Higuaín apparently didn’t realize it and ran around celebrating before realizing that the goal was being waved off.

Kramer couldn’t continue, and finally came off looking light-headed and possibly concussed from the previous collision. André Schürrle was substituted on for him in his place in the 32nd minute.

In the 35th minute, Lionel Messi was bringing the ball into the box again and had three German defenders in front of him. He tried to snake a ball through to Higuaín, but once again Schweinsteiger was there to clear it away. The ensuing corner kick didn’t threaten them either, Manuel Neuer collecting the ball and starting the counter attack.

Germany got down the field quickly and got a shot off but Sergio Romero saved it.

Minutes later, Argentina nearly had their first goal of the game. Messi had caught Neuer out of position and the ball trickled in front of the goal, yards from going in but Germany were able to clear it before Argentina got there to tap it in.

Germany nearly had a go-ahead goal in stoppage time of the first half. A corner kick from Toni Kroos came into the box and Benedikt Höwedes got through to put a head on it.

The ball came dangerously close to going in, but was just inches to wide and bounced off the post instead. The ball then bounced right into Thomas Müller’s gut, and back in on goal.

Argentina’s Sergio Romero was able to collect it, but had the ball gone in off of Müller it wouldn’t have counted anyways, he was off sides and the line judge had his flag up anyways. It would’ve been a huge momentum shifting goal had they been able to convert, instead the 0-0 draw was carried into the half.

A minute and a half into the second half, Lionel Messi nearly gave Argentina the lead. A beautiful through ball found him just outside the box, he came in and got a shot off going towards the far post but the ball was just wide of the mark.

The physical contest carried on with German gaol keeper Manuel Neuer almost punching Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuaín in a violent and spectacular collision. A ball was bouncing down the field and Higuaín was chasing after it. Neuer was chasing it down like a safety, or punt coverage team. Neuer elevated to punch it away before the ball came down to Higuaín, and succeeded in doing that.

He also kneed Higuaín in the head or upper torso in the process, leaving him writhing around in pain on the field.

In the 74th minute, Lionel Messi had the ball and was trying to create a spot. He got to the top of the box before trying to curl one in towards the far post. The ball went wide and Messi couldn’t force a goal.

In the 79th minute, Germany lined up to take a corner kick and the ball was high and curled away from the goal. Minutes later the German attack was in on goal again and Mesut Özil sent a beautiful pass from the side of the box to the top of the box where an open Toni Kroos was charging in. He took the shot but it went wide of the goal.

Ultimately neither team could break the scoreless draw in regular time and the game was sent to extra time.

Seconds into the opening of the first period of extra time, André Schürrle got a shot from maybe 10 yards out at an angle on goal. Argentina goal keeper Sergio Romero stopped the shot, which was pretty much right at him and high. Romero was able to save the ball and keep the sides level.

Minutes later, Rodrigo Palacio was in on goal all alone and had a chance to give Argentina the lead. He tried to chip the ball over Neuer, but sent the ball off target and missed the opportunity.

It looked like Germany and Argentina were headed towards penalty kicks, but Mario Gotze wasn’t having any of that. He scored arguably one of the best goals of the tournament to put Germany ahead in the 113th minute. The cross came in and Gotze was just yards out. He chested it down to himself and before it hit the ground kicked it in on goal and past Argentina’s goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

The control he displayed to take the ball down and get a shot off is just simply remarkable. What is even more stunning is how Gotze got open in the middle of all the box between a pair of Argentina defenders. There was an absolute break down of communication in the Argentina defense, and they paid for it.

This put Argentina in a situation where they needed to press offensively and attack more than they had previously in the game, while making sure they didn’t open themselves up to a counter attack.

Unfortunately it felt like the momentum had swung incredibly, with the German’s taking the lead. Argentina got a couple more chances including a free kick in stoppage time of the second extra period.

None other than Lionel Messi stepped up to take the kick, but didn’t get the goal. Messi’s kick was high and no where close to being on target.

Germany held on for the final seconds to win the World Cup. It is their first since 1990, when they also beat Argentina. It is the first time a European team has won a World Cup in South America, and the first time a single continent has won the World Cup three times in a row (Italy in 2006, Spain in 2010).

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