Africa may have lost out in the Round of 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil but the continent shared part of the glory as Germany minutes ago emerged the champions after beating hard-fighting Argentina by a lone goal in front of a full house at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Ghana-born Jerome Boateng (his brother Kevin Prince-Boateng plays for Ghana) was thick in the action for all 120 minutes as the German Machine overcame Lionel Messi and co courtesy of a 113rd minute goal by Mario Gotze.
Three-time winners Germany and two-time champions Argentina will lock horns for the third time in the final, as both vie for supremacy at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
With this victory, Germany, now four-time winners of the most coveted trophy in world football, made history for gracing the final for a record eighth time, and for becoming the first European side to triumph on South American soil – echoing the feat achieved on rival terrain by Brazil at Sweden 1958.
The competition started on June 12 with 32 teams – five from Africa, out of which Nigeria and Algeria posted the best performances by making it to the Round of 16 before gallantly bowing out.
•Photo shows Ghana-born German international Jerome Boateng.
NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
