Germany 4-0 Portugal: Muller scores hat-trick as The Navigators hit the rocks
There is something about the surname Muller and the World Cup.
In the 1970s, Gerd plundered 14 goals for West Germany across two tournaments and now Thomas, has scored eight goals in seven matches.
The Bayern Munich man was at the centre of all the action in Salvador and a fine hat-trick helped Joachim Low’s side beat Portugal 4-0 as Cristiano Ronaldo failed to fire on the big stage.
Ahead of the game there was much talk about the fitness of Ronaldo but an early lung-busting run went some way to proving he was ready to take a starring role for his nation, sadly Hugo Almeida wasted the resulting chance with a tame strike.
But Germany were very nearly in front after eight minutes as a Portuguese defensive mix-up offered Sami Khedira an open goal. Fortunately for Paulo Bento’s men, Rui Patricio’s scuffed clearance found him 30-yards out and the midfielder’s shot squirmed just wide of the upright, but the Germans didn’t have to wait too much longer to open the scoring.
Joao Pereira grappled with Mario Gotze in the penalty area, sending the Bayern Munich man tumbling to the deck, and Thomas Muller, the 2010 World Cup’s golden boot winner, stepped up to knock the ball past Rui Patricio from the spot.
Joachim Low’s side were able to restrict their opponents to hopeful long balls forward to the abject Hugo Almeida, who was unable to hold the ball up for his team-mates, and on the ball they showed exceptional craft and guile as they attempted to create openings for the impish Gotze.
Manchester United winger Nani had the stanchion behind Manuel Neuer’s goal quivering when his shot from distance flew past the post, but such moments were few and fleeting for the Navigators, who found themselves having to make an early change when Almeida was forced off through injury and replaced by Eder.
Just after the half-hour mark it was 2-0 to the Germans as a corner from the right, taken by Toni Kroos, found Borussia Dortmund stopper Mats Hummels and the 25-year-old thumped his header into the back of the net.
And bad quickly went to worse within five minutes as referee Milorad Mazic flashed a red card in the direction of Pepe. The fiery Real Madrid centre-back flicked out a hand while battling Muller for the ball and, following some histrionics from his opponent, the 31-year-old stuck his head into Muller, who was seated on turf.
The German star then added a third moments before the break as the ball fell kindly to him inside the penalty and from 13 yards he slipped the ball home.
Ozil nearly put his nation four goals to the good but Patricio did well to deny the Gunners midfielder five minutes after the break.
The to all extents and purposes was over for the Portuguese but Ronaldo was still keen to make his mark, unfortunately though, after all his posturing prior to a free-kick within shooting distance, he could only crash a shot into the well assembled German wall.
Fabio Coentrao added to manager Bento’s blues when a groin strain saw him pull up and exit the field of play on a stretcher, with Benfica’s Andre Almeida taking his place.
Gotze should have made it 4-0 but, after being found by Andre Schurrle’s pass, he cut inside and saw his strike deflected over.
Portugal could have had a penalty with 15 minutes to go as Eder was brought down in the area but their claims were waved away, which saw an apoplectic Ronaldo, muscular frame taught in anger, screaming in the face of referee Mazic.
Muller had been having an uneventful second half, but the joy of the 24-year-old is his ability to pop up in the right place at the right time and, when Patricio parried a Schurrle ball into the box, he was on hand to knock the ball across the line for his third goal of the evening.
The crowd in Brazil then stood to applause the Bayern Munich star as he departed the pitch, allowing Miroslav Klose the chance to nab his 14th World Cup strike, but he could not rub salt in Portuguese wounds as they avoided conceding a fifth.