BLOEMFONTEIN // England will rage at the injustice and Germany will see karmic comeback for Geoff Hurst's controversial goal in 1966, but the fact that this was a game England lost by playing atrociously for 35 minutes and not much better for the rest.
Given how poor England were, and how emphatically Germany went on to win, it seems bizarre to speak of the game turning on a linesman's decision, but that is certainly the way it will be perceived, perhaps even the way it was.
Having gone 2-0 down, England had pulled one back in the 38th minute when, 54 seconds later, Frank Lampard lobbed a volley over Manuel Neuer, the German goalkeeper. The ball struck the bar and bounced down, palpably over the line. But as England's players and fans celebrated, Maurico Espinosa, the Uruguayan linesman, kept his flag down, and play continued. It was a bewilderingly bad decision, but it was nowhere near as bad as England had been until two minutes earlier.
"The 2-2?" a furious Fabio Capello asked. "It's incredible in a period of technology that we can play with five referees who cannot see whether it is a goal or not.
"The mistake of the linesman changed the game because after that Germany could play on the counter-attack."
Had England levelled then, who knows what might have been; certainly they wouldn't, as they ended up doing, have conceded twice on the break by overcommitting in the second half.
Then again, given Germany's general superiority, it would be perverse in the aftermath of England's worst World Cup defeat to imply that an England victory would have been inevitable had the goal been given.
"We clearly controlled the game until England's goal, then there was a short critical phase," Joachim Loew, the Germany coach, said. "What I saw on the television, this ball was behind the line, it must have been given as a goal."
For 35 minutes, England were at their most witless, playing at a soporific tempo, passing into cul-de-sacs. So much is familiar; what was not, was the pathetic way in which they conceded the opener.
Neuer sent a goal-kick downfield, everybody stood and watched, and Miroslav Klose outmuscled Matthew Upson to stab a finish past David James. This was atrocious, sub-schoolboy defending, and any sympathy for England must be tempered by the knowledge of their complicity in creating the mountain they later had to climb.
With Mesut Ozil far too often afforded space, Germany seemed capable of picking England apart at will. Thomas Muller set up Lukas Podolski, who was denied by the feet of James, but the second arrived soon enough; Ozil, Klose and Muller combining to find Podolski, who drilled a low shot back across goal and under the body of James.
Shame, perhaps, enlivened England, who suddenly found a bite and an urgency that had been wholly absent. A quickly taken corner enabled Steven Gerrard to cross for Upson to pull one back, and when Lampard's goal was ruled out it seemed the comeback was on, particularly when the midfielder then thumped a free-kick against the bar early in the second half.
"We played a very bad first 20 minutes, but after that we matched the speed of Germany," Capello said.
"I think we scored two goals. At that moment I thought Germany suffered a lot, but after 3-1 we didn't play, and they scored the third and the fourth on the counter-attack."
It was another Lampard free-kick after 68 minutes that ended up presenting Germany with a third. As the ball rebounded from the wall, Germany broke. The ball was worked to Muller, and he hammered a finish through James.
Four minutes later, the game was over, Ozil countering and squaring for Muller to slam in his second in the space of three minutes.
England's sense of grievance is partly justified, and the linesman's error will join the list of perceived injustices that comprises their past 40 years of history in World Cups, but the problems run deeper than that.
It is hard to remember when England last did something in a World Cup that deserved good luck. The fact that England's players walked off dejected rather than furious told its own story.
Germany's young, exciting side meanwhile, so good at shaping their own destiny, keep rolling on.
They face Argentina on Saturday in Cape Town.
sports@thenational.ae
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In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
Jurassic%20Park
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Suarez 27', Vidal 32', Dembele 35', Messi 78')
Sevilla 0
Red cards: Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Superpower%20
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FIXTURES
Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney
Note: d/n = day/night
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Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
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