Hummels breaks French hearts
A first half header from Mats Hummels fired Germany into the semi-finals of the World Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over France.
The Borussia Dortmund defender missed the last-16 victory over Algeria as a result of flu-like symptoms, with the bug having also affected a number of the squad in the build-up to Friday's game, Goal.com reports.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Hummels, however, showed now ill-effects of any sickness in the 12th minute, rising highest to head home Toni Kroos' free-kick from the left and hand Germany victory at the Maracana.
Such consistent performers throughout World Cup history with seven final appearances, Germany once again showed their ability to grind out results in major tournaments as they successfully stifled France, though Karim Benzema came close to a leveller late on, only to be denied by Manuel Neuer.
For Didier Deschamps' men, a competition that had promised so much after the group-stage thumpings of Honduras and Switzerland ended in disappointment, as France failed to gain revenge for semi-final defeats to West Germany at the 1982 and 1986 editions.
Germany made the better start, but it was France who had the first effort on goal in the seventh minute when Benzema volleyed Mathieu Valbuena's chipped pass narrowly wide.
Hummels made France pay for that miss five minutes later when he broke the deadlock with his second goal of the 2014 World Cup. The defender beat Raphael Varane to Kroos' set-piece and sent a glancing header in off the underside of the crossbar.
Twice Germany had appeals for penalties waved away, claiming fouls by Mathieu Debuchy on Miroslav Klose and Thomas Muller, but on each occasion referee Nestor Pitana signalled for play to continue.
Neuer was finally called into action for the first time 11 minutes before the break, and reacted brilliantly to keep out Valbuena's left-footed volley, before Hummels deflected Benzema's rebound over the bar.
The striker continued to threaten as half-time approached, seeing his header blocked by the body of Hummels and then firing a strike straight at Neuer after cutting in from the left shortly afterwards.
France cautiously pressed for an equaliser after the break, but Varane's header from Valbuena's right-wing cross on the hour-mark was comfortable for the goalkeeper.
Muller almost put the result beyond doubt nine minutes later, but his shot from an angle was deflected narrowly wide by Mamadou Sakho, although the officials failed to spot the deviation and awarded a goal-kick.
Andre Schurrle replaced Klose - who is still in search of the goal that will see him become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer outright - and tested Hugo Lloris with a low drive that the Tottenham man was equal to.
Benzema worked some space inside the area with 14 minutes to play, but once again Hummels was there to block and Neuer parried away Blaise Matuidi's effort from a tight angle.
With France forced to push men forward, they left themselves vulnerable on the break and Lloris saved well from Schurrle, who ought to have done better eight minutes from time.
Neuer then palmed away Benzema's angled drive late on as Germany held on to seal yet another semi-final berth and send France crashing out.
COMMENTARY: FULL TIME
Germany - yet to face South American opposition - will need to up their game against Brazil or Colombia, but their ability to grind out a result could be a huge asset going forward.
The decision to bring the fit-again Hummels in for Mertesacker proved inspired from Low. The defender scored the only goal of the tie and made crucial challenges time and again when France had the ball in the final third. Neuer was excellent once again as he picked up his 50th cap.
It's a deserved victory for Germany, who dominated possession for much of the encounter against a French side who were incredibly disappointing. Deschamps' men showed little desire to pull level after going behind, and left it too late to bring on the likes of Remy and Giroud.
90' + 4' And that's it! The final whistle blows and it is Germany who will line up alongside Brazil or Colombia at Belo Horizonte in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
90' + 3' Germany wind down the clock by replacing Kroos with Kramer, and it looks as though France's World Cup campaign ends here.
90' + 2' Substitution: Toni Kroos OUT, Christoph Kramer IN
90' + 1'There will be four minutes of stoppage time at the Maracana. Can France do it? It looks unlikely at the moment.
89' Remy sends a loooping cross into the penalty area, but there's too much on it and it bounces out for a German throw-in.
89' Deschamps may face criticism in the wake of this match if France go out. Germany were arguably there for the taking and they've left it far too late to go on the offensive.
88' Schurrle has another chance to put this tie to bed from the centre of the penalty area, but Varane is on hand to block from close quarters.
86' Deschamps is throwing caution to the wind. He needs to - he has just four minutes to save France's World Cup campaign.
85' Substitution: Mathieu Valbuena OUT, Olivier Giroud IN
85' Germany have a corner, which Gotze will take, but it's headed clear by Koscielny. And France will end the game with three strikers on the pitch, with Giroud coming on in place of Valbuena.
84' Ozil, who has been quiet for much of this tie, leaves the field to be replaced by Gotze.
83' Substitution: Mesut Özil OUT, Mario Götze IN
82' SCHURRLE HAS TO SCORE... but doesn't. Germany break quickly from that French corner and Schurrle finds himself unmarked some 12 yards out, but his poor finish is kept out by the legs of Lloris.
81' Schurrle hacks down Evra on the French left wing - a chance for Valbuena to cross into the area from the left. The set-piece bounces wide for a corner, which Neuer plucks from the air with ease.
80' Yellow Card for Bastian Schweinsteiger
80' Germany have to be careful not to switch off here. Although they've looked the better team, you wouldn't bet against France snatching a late equaliser. They've got 10 minutes to do so.
77' Benzema has the German defence on high alert, but a block from Hummels and a save by Neuer maintain the one-goal advantage. Matuidi is next to have a pop, but Neuer is equal to it once again, punching clear.
75' Germany are on the attack again though, but Muller's pull-back for Ozil is intercepted by Varane and France can clear the danger.
74' That's more like it! Deschamps elects to bring Remy on for Cabaye. Let's hope the striker, who spent last season on loan at Newcastle United, can inject a bit of life into this French attack.
73' Substitution: Yohan Cabaye OUT, Loïc Remy IN
73'Griezmann attempts an audacious effort from outside the penalty area and it goes harmlessly wide.
72' Substitution: Mamadou Sakho OUT, Laurent Koscielny IN
72' An odd substitution from France, who bring centre-back Koscielny on for Sakho in a like-for-like replacement.
71' Many tipped this as a potential tie of the round, but I'm afraid it has fallen some way short of that so far. There is still time for it to burst into life, though.
70' Muller sends a shot fizzing across goal, it deflects off Sakho and goes wide of the left-hand up right. It should be a corner, but the officials hand Lloris the goal-kick.
69' Substitution: Miroslav Klose OUT, Andre Schürrle IN
69' And here comes Schurrle. We won't be seeing Klose break the World Cup goalscoring record today - he is the man to make way.
68' It looks like Germany might be first to make a change, though. Schurrle looks set to be thrown into the action. The
Chelsea man was so influential when he was introduced for the second half against Algeria, scoring the opener in the second minute of extra-time.
66' The striker has failed to have too much of an impact in this match. It can't be long before we see Deschamps making an attacking substitution.
65' France have another corner as Evra's attempted cross is deflected behind by Lahm. However, they fail to carve out a chance as Benzema is penalised for handball.
64' Valbuena is rolling around on the turf after going head-to-head with Schweinsteiger for an aerial ball. The German midfielder does not appear to have done anything wrong, and Valbuena is soon back on his feet.
62' The corner comes to nothing, but keeper Neuer - winning his 50th cap - is called into action soon after when Varane directs a header to the same corner Hummels found for his opener.
60' Mathuidi charges down the left wing, but his cross along the ground is intercepted and put behind by Schweinsteiger.
58' Pogba is challenged by Howedes as he takes the ball out to the right. He thinks he should have the throw-in, but the ball clearly came off the Frenchman last.
56' France's pressing start to the second half is allowing Germany to counter-attack with pace. The tie is really opening up. I don't think we've seen the last goal in this one.
55' Khedira hauls down Griezmann as he surges downfield, and is quite rightly shown the yellow card.
54' Yellow Card to Sami Khedira
53' Germany go on the break for the first time since the interval, but Ozil's cross is defelcted behind by Cabaye. Goalkeeper Lloris is awarded a somewhat fortuitous foul from the resulting corner.
52' Matuidi now surges into the German penalty area, looks to be waiting for a reason to go down, but it doesn't come and the move breaks down. France well and truly on top in the opening five minutes of the half.
50' France have a free-kick some 30 yards out - Evra evades the German defence but is unable to get a meaningful touch on the cross.
49' The fans who have tickets in the direct glare of the sun are taking their time in returning to their seats. I imagine the shade and air conditioning offered by the concourse may be proving difficult to leave behind.
47' France have started brightly and are giving a Germany a taste of their own medicine in the opening minutes of the second half, denying their opponents a chance to get on the ball.
46' France get us back under way at the Maracana, where around half of the pitch is now covered in shade.
FIRST HALF
The best of those opportunities came before Hummels broke the deadlock when Benzema fired agonisingly wide of the left-hand post, but France have shown that they are able to get in behind the German defence. Les Bleus will need to do just that with greater frequency and potency after the break, or their World Cup journey could be coming to an end.
France started slowly and they were punished in the 12th minute when Hummels rose well to put Low's men in front. Germany continued to have the better of the possession, but the men in blue were not without their own chances to find the back of the net.
45' + 2'There goes the half-time whistle, and it's Germany who hold a slender advantage at the break.
45' Benzema creates the angle to have a shot from the edge of the penalty area, cutting past two German defenders in the process, but his eventual effort is straight into the arms of Neuer.
43' Benzema heads goalwards from an excellent Matuidi cross from the left, it hits goalscorer Hummels in the midriff, but appeals for handball are waved away as half-time draws in.
41' Germany have a free-kick on the left wing, in a similar position to the on that led to the goal. This time, though, it comes to nothing. Nothing apart from a Lloris goal-kick. that is.
40' After the referee eventually remembers where play came to a stop, we're back under way following that short stoppage.
39' The stretcher is on, but makes a swift exit without its Khedira-shaped cargo. The brief interval does permit the players to have an improptu drinks break, however.
38' Khedira goes down clutching his face in the French penalty area. Looks like he's taken a ball to the face.
37' France are stepping up the pace, but the next attack comes to an end when Evra's disappointing cutback is intercepted by Schweinsteiger.
35' NEUER TO THE RESCUE! Griezmann crosses in from the right, and Valbuena draws a superb save from the keeper before Benzema's effort is deflected over from the rebound. That was France's best chance so far.
33' Matuidi chips the ball into the path of Valbuena down the left wing, but Neuer rushes off his line to thwart the attack. The Bayern Munich goalkeeper is really proving himself on the world stage in Brazil.
31' Germany have a free-kick just outside the French penalty area, but it's deflected behind for a corner. Replays suggest the touch came from a white shirt, though. The corner comes to nothing as France clear the danger.
29' While Germany have dominated possession throughout, France were able to find gaps in their defence in the early stages. Les Bleus will need to start getting in behind the back four once again if they are to cancel out Hummels' opener.
27' The men in white weave their way into the French box once again, but the ball is eventually collected by a grateful Lloris. France need to be careful, or they'll soon find themselves two goals down and staring elimination in the face.
25' Germany make a patient approach towards goal, the ball comes in to Klose in the penalty area, but the talismanic frontman goes down softly under the challenge Debuchy. The referee was having none of it. A missed opportunity to break that record?
23' Despite the early goal, the match is being played at a reasonably slow pace at the moment, as has been the case in many of the early kick-offs in the Brazilian sunshine.
ly 4, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo: Getty Images
21' Valbuena tries to touch the ball into the path of Debuchy on the right wing. It was a delightful piece of skill, but the ball rolls harmlessly and disappointingly into touch.
19' It will be interesting to see how Germany adapt to being a goal ahead. Will they continue to press for a second, or are they content to sit back and allow France to bring the game to them?
17' Deschamps' charges are currently taking a series of throw-ins on the near touchline, as the match endures something of a lull in the wake of the goal.
15' France will be keen to be back on terms as soon as possible, but the better team are ahead based on the early action.
12' Goal Mats Hummels
GOAL FOR GERMANY! Hummels, up from the back, gets his head to a Kroos free-kick from midway inside the French half. Expertly guided beyond Lloris and into the top right-hand corner.
11' Valbuena cuts the ball across the penalty area, but it's too far behind Griezmann as the ball is cleared. Germany may be on top, but France are finding gaps in their defence.
10' Ozil sends in a cross from the left, but it's headed clear by Sakho as Germany put France under more pressure.
8' CLOSE FROM BENZEMA! Against the run of play, Valbuena sends a delicate chip back from the byline into the path of Benzema, who drills agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.
7' Germany almost find a way into the French half, but Khedira's final ball is poor and it dribbles into the arms of Lloris in the French goal. Joachim Low's men certainly enjoying the better of the early exchanges.
6' Goalkeeper Neuer was almost a sweeper for his side in their extra-time win over Algeria, putting in a sensational display in that fixture, and he's already been called into action with the ball at his feet.
4' Germany applying the early pressure, but Ozil is unable to get in a cross from the left as Debuchy slides in to put the ball out for a throw-in. France struggling to get a foot on the ball at the moment.
2' Both teams are playing in their home strips for this tie, with Germany all in white and France all in blue, with the exception of their bright red socks.
1' After the players are gathered for a FIFA anti-discrimation photograph, the players assume their positions and Germany get us under way.
Germany had to rely on extra-time to get the better of Algeria in the last 16, while France relied on two late goals to get the better of Nigeria. Both are coming up against teams with vastly more big-stage experience today, so will need to be at their top of their respective games to ensure progression to a semi-final with Brazil or Colombia.
Champions in 1998, France have taken many by surprise with their assured performances in this year's competition. Their 2010 tournament was blighted by in-fighting, but suggestions so far are that Didier Deschamps' men are more than capable of making a charge for the final.
Flu is reported to have swept through the German squad this week, hampering their preparations, while Shkodran Mustafi's tournament is already after suffereing a torn thigh muscle. Klose - one goal away from becoming the outright top goalscorer in World Cup history - is handed a first start of the tournament, while Lahm shifts back to his more familiar full-back position after spending much of his time in Brazil in front of the back four.
Germany subs: Ron-Robert Zieler, Roman Weidenfeller, Kevin Grosskreutz, Matthias Ginter, Andre Schurrle, Lukas Podolski, Julian Draxler, Erik Durm, Per Mertesacker, Mario Gotze, Christoph Kramer.
Germany (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira; Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil; Miroslav Klose.
France subs: Mickael Landreau, Stephane Ruffier, Remy Cabella, Olivier Giroud, Rio Mavuba, Eliaquim Mangala, Bacary Sagna, Lucas Digne, Moussa Sissoko, Loic Remy, Laurent Koscielny, Morgan Schneiderlin.
France (4-3-2-1): Hugo Lloris; Mathieu Debuchy, Raphael Varane, Mamadou Sakho, Patrice Evra; Yohan Cabaye, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi; Mathieu Valbuena, Antoine Griezmann; Karim Benzema.
Commentary: Goal dot com
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