Serbia make Germany pay the penalty

Published: Friday 18 June 2010,
15.15CET
Germany 0-1 Serbia
Lukas Podolski missed a penalty and
Miroslav Klose was sent off as Milan
Jovanović 's goal blew Group D wide
open.
Milan Jovanović scored the only
goal moments after Miroslav Klose
had been sent off to revive Serbia's
FIFA World Cup hopes at
Germany's expense in Port
Elizabeth.
Jovanović struck in the 38th minute,
60 seconds after Klose had been
shown a second yellow card in a
match that produced nine bookings.
Germany recovered well after the
break but missed their best chance
when Vladimir Stojković saved
Lukas Podolski's 60th-minute
penalty to blow Group D wide open.
Germany had produced the
performance of the opening round
of matches with their 4-0 rout of
Australia, but they struggled to
rediscover that fluency against a
Serbia side desperate for points after
kicking off with 1-0 loss to Ghana.
Neither side had managed a shot on
target when the momentum swung
Serbia's way with the dismissal of
Klose for a second bookable offence
in the 37th minute and they made
the man advantage almost
immediately. Miloš Krasić crossed
for Nikola Žigić and the towering
striker headed down to Jovanović
who cushioned the ball before firing
in.
Germany almost drew level when
Sami Khedira hit the bar in the first
minute of first-half added time and
they raised the tempo after the
restart. Stojković struggled to keep
out Bastian Schweinsteiger's rasping
shot then twice in quick succession
Lukas Podolski fired wide after being
picked out by Mesut Özil.
Germany's pressure looked to have
earned its reward when Vidić
handled in the area on the hour, but
Stanković saved Podolski's penalty
low to his left. At the other end
Joachim Löw's side were beginning
to leave themselves exposed and
Jovanović hit the post and Žigić
headed on to the bar after great
work from Krasić.
Serbia, though, had already done
enough, leaving them, Germany
and Ghana level at the top of the
group on three points ahead of the
latter's match with Australia
tomorrow. Germany meet Ghana
next Wednesday when Australia
play Serbia.