Azza's Journey through the unofficial Confederations Cup (FIFA 06)

[Azza!]

Welcome to our live telecast of the Murphy Cup quarter finals. I'm your host, Les Murray, and here with me tonight for the big match is our very own Craig Foster once again. Welcome to you Craig.

CF:Thanks Les and once again, great to be here for SBS's wonderful coverage.
LM: We're here tonight for the quarter final, this one will be a cracker - it's Germany, the tournament favourites, up against the might of England. It should be an interesting one. We're running a little late due to technical difficulties, so lets cross over right away to the live feed. Your commentator for this match is England's very own premiership commentator Martin Tyler.

MT: The Germans lining up in their respective places, let's take a look at the formation of England. The fans are out in full force for the men in red tonight.

And as the game is underway, this should be a beauty, the winner goes through to the semi finals to face Ireland, who walked past Uruguay earlier today in the other quarter final.

Klose on the attack in the first minute, and a brilliant save from Paul Robinson! Great start to Germany!

Cole now with the long ball in, Beckhams unmarked, Kahn half-heartedly charges, he should put this away surely.

GERMANY 0
ENGLAND 1

England with the momentum, Owen with the headderr!!

Oooh that one was close.

Frings from the halfway line, moves the ball out wide to Bastian Schweinsteiger, centred into Podolski, 35m out, Podolski with the long shot! Germany have equalised!! What a goal! What a brilliant goal! He'll be pushed hard to find one better for a long time!

And don't Podolski and Lahm love it!

GERMANY 1
ENGLAND 1

Kahn pushes his selection further as he makes 3 crucial saves in the last 5 minutes of the half off shots from Owen and Beckham.

HALF TIME
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2nd HALF


However a horrible blunder from Kahn costs Germany a goal as he thumps a cross straight into the head of Philipp Lahm - the ball bounces straight to the head of Lampard who puts it away! England are in front again!

GERMANY 1
ENGLAND 2

Podolskis got Robinson moving as Germany look for another equaliser..

Klose watches Ballacks header sail through in the 81st minute!

GERMANY 2
ENGLAND 2

England are charging home in the last minutes, firing shot after shot and piling on the pressure..

But Germany hold on, and its extra time once again!

FULL TIME
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Stay tuned for extra time!

 

[Bala]

Cliff hangers! I love them! Brilliant stuff Azza.

 

[shravi]

Great match so far! Kick some English butt!

 

[Azza!]

Well, who do you pick at home? A thrilling finish to a magical game Craig Foster.

CF: Well you're right, its very hard to pick! Both sides launch very organised attacks, like to hold onto possession, and the technical sides of both parties has been fantastic. Either side could score the winner in extra time here. It will be a cracker, Les.
LM: Lets take you back now to extra time of England v Germany!
[Extra time begins.]

And as we begin extra time, Torsten Frings is in the book yet again, for a malicious tackle on Beckham. It was the first and only foul of the game!

Both sides charge home, with Germany finding 3 corners in the second half of extra time..

.. and England finding one in the last 20 seconds to pile the pressure on at the last moment. Luckily Kahn (below) directed his troops to clear the ball out.

And as the whistle blows, its time for penaltys!

GERMANY 2
ENGLAND 2

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PENALTY SHOOTOUT

Oliver Kahn, the veteran, readys himself for another penalty shootout. It's happened all too many times before for him.

It's going to be Michael Owen to start off proceedings. Boos roar around the stadium as he takes his run..

SAVED! Kahn reads the direction and dives to his left to turn it away!

Germany ----- 0
England X---- 1

Podolski scores his shot!

Germany O---- 1
England X---- 0

Steven Gerrard places the ball to the inside of the right post and a lucky bounce sends it through! England still in it.

Germany O---- 1
England XO--- 0

Michael Ballack lines up and keeps Germany 1 ahead!

Germany OO--- 2
England XO--- 1

Beckham.. oh its off the crossbar and in! Lucks of fortune for the former captain!

Germany OO--- 2
England XOO-- 2

Miroslav Klose never lets his side down - a great finish to keep Germany ahead again.. It looks quite tough for England now..

Germany OOO-- 3
England XOO-- 2

All eyes on Lampard now - England rests on his shoulders - and it's saved by Kahn! Fantastic pick from the veteran keeper!

Germany OOO-- 3
England XOOX- 2

Bastian Scweinsteiger now - to finish this off and launch Germany into the semi-finals...

GOOOALLLLLLLLLL! He's done it! Germany are.. through!

Scenes of jubilation for the men in white - heartbreak for the England side who have had a brilliant tournament, out in somewhat unlucky circumstances.

So at full time its:

GERMANY 2
ENGLAND 2
(Germany win 4-2 on penalties)

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MURPHY CUP QUARTER FINALS:
Uruguay 0 - 2 Ireland
Germany 2 - 2 England (4-2 pen)
France 2 - 1 Portugal
Brazil 6 - 2 Switzerland

So the semi-finals are like this:
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND V GERMANY
FRANCE V BRAZIL

 

[Bala]

The knock out in the penos was always on the cards. May be the English can put together a lesson on how not to take penalties!

 

[Left_Hander]

lol Bala, I think they could do that .

Germany are doing great! This is a great story Azza and I am enjoying it.

Keep up the marvellous work!

 

[Azza!]

Good evening! And welcome to this all-important semi-final clash between the firing tournament favourites, Germany; and the unpredictable green shirts of Ireland. We're bringing the game live across the country on SBS, and joining me for the ride in place of Craig Foster (whos flown over to be at the final) is former Socceroo and A-League recruit, Ned Zelic.

NZ: Pleasure, Andrew.

AO: Well, after the long wrestle with England just 2 nights ago, you'd think the German squad would be a bit exhausted - have any big changes been implemented? Let's look at the starting formation..

And as you can see there, they've stuck with the 4-3-3 lineup that has worked wonders for them so far in this tournament. You know what they say though Ned, stick with winning combinations.

NZ: Couldn't agree more.

AO: Well, the game is just about ready to get underway, these are live pictures here on your screen, the national anthems have been played and the players are getting ready to begin. Let's cross over now to our live feed, and your commentator for this big match is our very own Martin Tyler.

We're underway here, the 2nd semi-final of this entertaining tournament - the winner to play France in the 2 leg final. For those of you just tuning into the feed, earlier France got in 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout against Brazil.

Germany are off early, Frings, through ball to Klose..

And Given is out at full stretch early! Great save! Great start to Germanyyyy!

Klose is in the book in the 22nd minute for a malicious tackle - no doubt about that decision from the ref.

Schneider prepares for a cross - if its perfect Klose can be very dangerous in these situations. A golden opportunity for Germany to hit the front here.

The cross is headed away by a defender, but only as far as Frings, holds it up, places out wide to Bastian Schweinsteiger, through ball to Podolski on the left of the frontlineee..

And its another desperate save from Given! His goal has been peppered!

The corner is cleared away, and the whistle is blown for half time.

IRELAND 0
GERMANY 0

HALF TIME

A somewhat uneventful but dominant half by Germany.

WORLD FEED TO REJOIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND HALF.