Soccer: Germany to prove they emerged from crisis

If Germany beat Paraguay in the World Cup soccer's second round on Saturday it will confirm their emergence from the worst crisis in their glorious football history.

Playing in the second round was once business as usual for Germany but a series of dreadful results, culminating in a 5-1 thrashing by England in a World Cup qualifier in Munich last September, rocked the team's confidence.

"We want to win back the credit that we have lost," said former Germany striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, making clear that a lot more than a quarter-final place will be at stake against the South Americans at the futuristic Sogwipo arena.

Fellow traditional favourites Argentina and France have already gone home but Germany, written off by many after struggling to qualify, are still very much alive and kicking.

After disappearing from the last two World Cups in the quarter-finals, and making an embarrassing first-round exit from Euro 2000, Germany had entered this year's tournament with lower expectations than usual, and coach Rudi Voeller named the opening knock-out stage as their minimum aim.

But they are more ambitious after surviving the first round undefeated and netting plenty of goals -- including five from top scorer Miroslav Klose.

The squabbling that marred their runs in recent major tournaments has been absent and although they might not have a true leader, as German all-time great Franz Beckenbauer put it, they also have no troublemakers for a change.

"Team spirit is essential and is one of the reasons why I believe we can go far in the tournament," said Germany captain Oliver Kahn.

Nobody was under-estimating Paraguay, who battled through the first round not unlike the Germans themselves as both teams conceded a late equaliser in their penultimate group match before fighting with 10 men for victory in the deciders.

"I think it will be very tight," said midfielder Jens Jeremies, who added that he was already dreaming of seeing Germany play in the Yokohama final on June 30.

Few would have put money on the South Americans after a shaky build-up featuring a 4-0 drubbing by England, but assistant Germany coach Michael Skibbe recalled that they had qualified for the finals in style.

"They beat Brazil and drew with Argentina twice, which says a lot about their ability," he said.

Paraguay's Italian coach Cesare Maldini, who came under fire after replacing the popular Sergio Markarian, showed he still knew a few tricks by bringing on Nelson Cuevas as a substitute in Wednesday's must-win game against Slovenia.

Making his World Cup debut, Cuevas scored twice for a 3-1 victory that set up Saturday's showdown.

"We showed great character and determination," said Maldini, who could only be hoping that Cuevas will have recovered from the injury he picked up in the dying moments of the Slovenia game.

"We now have Germany. It will be a very difficult match as are all matches in the World Cup."

Voeller was equally pleased after his side overcame the sending off of key defender Carsten Ramelow to tame the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 2-0 on Tuesday.

"We stepped up a gear when we had to," said the former Germany striker. "That's how new teams are born."

Germany paid a high price for the win as Ramelow, Dietmar Hamann and Christian Ziege are all suspended for Saturday's match, but Klose should be as dangerous as ever while playmaker Michael Ballack has looked better with every game.

"The three, four or five new players who will start will be fresh and eager to make a point," said Jeremies, who was full of praise for Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz, his team mate at Bayern Munich.

Doing well at a World Cup is nothing new for Paraguay, who reached the second round in 1986 before losing 3-0 to England.

But the Germans, who have noticed that their opponents' flamboyant goalkeeper, Jose Luis Chilavert, is not that safe on high balls, will wish that more recent history repeats itself.

At the last World Cup in 1998, Paraguay were knocked out in the second round by a golden goal from France, who went on to win the tournament.

Probable teams:

Germany (4-4-2): 1-Oliver Kahn; 3-Marko Rehmer, 21-Christoph Metzelder, 2-Thomas Linke, 22-Thorsten Frings; 19-Bernd Schneider, 16-Jens Jeremies, 13-Michael Ballack, 17-Marco Bode; 11-Miroslav Klose, 7-Oliver Neuville.

Paraguay (5-3-2): 1-Jose Luis Chilavert; 2-Franciso Arce, 4-Carlos Gamarra, 5-Celso Ayala, 18-Julio Cesar Caceres, 21-Denis Caniza; 17-Juan Carlos Franco, 10-Roberto Acuna, 11-Jorge Campos; 20-Jose Cardozo, 9-Roque Santa Cruz.

Officials to be confirmed later.

- REUTERS

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