Soccer: Hosts Germany win dramatic shootout

BERLIN - Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was the toast of Germany this morning when his shoot-out saves put the host nation into the soccer World Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 win on penalties over Argentina after the game had ended 1-1.

Tempers flared after the penalties, players and officials from both sides jostling on the pitch in an ugly melee played out in full view of the 72,000 crowd in Berlin's Olympiastadion, most of whom were celebrating a German win.

Germany will now play the winners of the second quarter-final game between Italy and Ukraine.

"To win the quarter-final is fantastic for us. We had super shots (in the penalties). And it's just expected that a German goalkeeper makes the saves," Lehmann said.

The German capital was a sea of black, red and gold flags as hundreds of thousands of fans poured into the city. Those without tickets gathered in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate to follow the match on big screen TVs.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the crowd at the stadium, the venue for the final on July 9.

But Argentina, winners of the trophy in 1978 and 1986, almost gatecrashed the party.

Defender Roberto Ayala headed them in front in the 49th minute and they looked set to end the German dream.

But the tournament's leading scorer Miroslav Klose headed an equaliser in the 80th minute to send the match into extra time, his fifth goal in the finals.

Goalkeeper Lehmann saved penalties from Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso in the shoot-out, while the German players kept their nerve and converted all four of their spot kicks.

Germany are bidding to add to world championships won in 1954, 1974 and 1990 -- all as West Germany before the country was re-unified.

Italy, also three-times champions, face debutantes Ukraine in a quarter-final in Hamburg this morning.

Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko is expected in the stands backing his country after receiving a plea from soccer dignitaries to boost a joint bid to host the 2012 European Championship.

Ukraine are bidding to host the tournament jointly with Poland.

The Italians are clear favourites to win the game and set up a semi-final with Germany in Dortmund on Wednesday.

Portugal play England in Gelsenkirchen tomorrow morning (3am), while holders Brazil meet France in the last quarter-final (7am).

The head of a British police team working in Germany said today he was confident there would be no trouble from England fans in Gelsenkirchen as the supporters were spread out over a large area around the western German town.

- REUTERS