2010 FIFA World Cup Group D
Football tournament group stage
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Group D of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 13 June and ended on 23 June 2010.[1] The group consisted of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. Along with Group G, it was considered to be a group of death.[2]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Germany |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Ghana |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 |  Australia |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 4 | |
| 4 |  Serbia |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
- Germany advanced to play England (runners-up of Group C) in the round of 16.
- Ghana advanced to play United States (winners of Group C) in the round of 16.
Matches
All times local (UTC+2)
Serbia vs Ghana
Ghana headed into their opening fixture against Serbia as the youngest team in the tournament.[3] Serbia were touted as a potential dark horse for the tournament,[3] and were looking to improve on their previous 2006 appearance at the World Cup as Serbia & Montenegro, where they lost all three of their group games and had the worst goal difference of minus 8 in that tournament.[3]
In the opening half, Kwadwo Asamoah came closest to opening the scoring for Ghana on 15 minutes but Nikola Žigić to deflected the shot to go wide.[4] Serbia created little from open play, but their main threat seemed to be from set pieces.[4] After half-time, Asamoah Gyan's headed the ball towards the Serbia goal from close-range, but it struck the post.[4]
Serbia were reduced to 10 men when Aleksandar Luković was sent off for holding back Gyan on the half-way line, which was his second bookable offence.[5]
Late in the second half, Serbia substitute Zdravko Kuzmanović handballed in the box whilst attempting to clear a cross. Gyan converted the resultant penalty kick, giving Ghana a 1–0 lead. Deep into stoppage time, Gyan almost had a second goal, but his strike hit the post of the Serbia goal.[5]
The victory for Ghana was the first in four games for African countries at the tournament, since South Africa drew with Mexico and Algeria and Nigeria both lost their opening games.[3]
| Serbia | 0–1 | Ghana |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 1] |
          Serbia[6]
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     Ghana[6]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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Germany vs Australia
Veteran Germany skipper Michael Ballack was ruled out of the tournament with injury, and coach Joachim Loew opted for the second-youngest squad in the competition.[8]
Prior to the game, Australia coach Pim Verbeek made the surprising decision to bench veteran players Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano and Joshua Kennedy, instead opting to put Tim Cahill in a lone striker role with Richard Garcia in support.[9]
Australia had the chance to score an early goal from a corner in the third minute, but Tim Cahill's header was blocked by Lucas Neill, and Richard Garcia failed to score from the follow up.[9]
Lukas Podolski opened the scoring for Germany in the eighth minute and Miroslav Klose put Germany 2–0 up in the 26th minute. After half-time, Tim Cahill was given a straight red card for a challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Thomas Müller and substitute Cacau both scored, completing the 4–0 victory for Germany,[10] which marked its sixth successive opening match victory at the World Cup.[11]
After the match, despite the heavy defeat, Australia coach Pim Verbeek stood by his tactics to keep his veteran players benched.[12] Germany coach Joachim Loew described the victory as "a good warm-up" for his team.[13]
In 2011, SBS (Australia's World Cup broadcaster) soccer analyst Les Murray published a book titled The World Game: The Story of How Football Went Global, in which Murray cited an undisclosed source in alleging that Lucas Neill, the captain of Australia, had instigated a mutiny just before kick-off.[14] Murray alleged that Neill had asked the coach, Pim Verbeek, to leave the room, before describing Verbeek's game-plan as "bullshit" and erasing what the Dutchman had written on a whiteboard, telling the team to play like they normally do.[15] Neill protested that before the Germany game it was Mark Schwarzer, and not Neill himself, who had given the team pep talk.[16] A few days after the allegations hit the news, Murray retracted his allegations with a full apology, with an undertaking that future editions of his book would have the relevant portion deleted.[17][18]
     Germany[19]
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     Australia[19]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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Germany vs Serbia
Germany striker Miroslav Klose was sent off in the first half, and Serbia went ahead shortly afterwards with a goal from winger Milan Jovanović.
In the 59th minute, Serbia centre-back Nemanja Vidić was booked for a handball in the penalty box, but the ensuing penalty kick from Lukas Podolski was saved by goalkeeper Vladimir Stojković.[20]
This was Germany's first loss in the group stage of a World Cup since the 1986 edition of the tournament,[21] and their first penalty miss in a World Cup (excluding penalty shoot-outs) since 1974.[22]
| Germany | 0–1 | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 3] |
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Germany[23]
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 Serbia[23]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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Ghana vs Australia
With Tim Cahill serving a one match suspension after his red card against Germany, Pim Verbeek opted to start veteran forward Harry Kewell. Australia took an early lead when a freekick from Mark Bresciano was fumbled by Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson into the path of Brett Holman, who clipped the ball into the top corner of the Ghana goal.[24]
Later in the first half, Jonathan Mensah struck a powerful shot towards the Australia goal which was blocked on the goal line by Harry Kewell's upper arm. Kewell was shown a straight red card and a penalty was awarded to Ghana. Asamoah Gyan converted the penalty kick, sending Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer the wrong way.[24] It was Gyan's second successful penalty of the tournament.
Ghana made the most of their man advantage after Kewell's dismissal and applied pressure on Australia. Kevin-Prince Boateng made his way into the Australia penalty box and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot that was parried around the post by Schwarzer, and shortly after the half-time break, Schwarzer parried a curling shot from Gyan.[24]
As the second half continued, Ghana appeared to lack creativity and instead resorted to long range shots. Out of the 22 shots taken, only six were on target.[25] Australia substitute Scott Chipperfield headed over the bar from a Luke Wilkshire cross, then shortly afterwards, Wilkshire himself found himself one on one with the Ghana goalkeepr, but his weak shot was smothered by Kingson. Josh Kennedy was unable to make solid contact with the rebound, and the ball was subsequently saved and cleared.[25]
Late in the second half, Ghana had the opportunity to take the lead when Quincy Owusu-Abeyie took a fine strike towards the Australia goal which was saved by Schwarzer, and the game finished 1–1 shortly afterwards.[25]
After the match, Australia coach Pim Verbeek praised his team's efforts for getting a draw with a man sent off, but felt the red card against Harry Kewell was harsh and there was nothing Kewell could've done other than cutting his arm off.[26] Kewell watched the match from the team dressing room after his dismissal and later stated that the referee had killed his World Cup tournament.[27]
Ghana[28]
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     Australia[28]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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Ghana vs Germany
This was the first fixture in World Cup history to feature two brothers on opposing sides - Jérôme Boateng for Germany, and Kevin-Prince Boateng for Ghana.[29] Striker Cacau started the game in place of veteran scorer Miroslav Klose, who was suspended for the game after picking up a red card in Germany's loss to Serbia.[30]
Both teams had chances to score in the first half - André Ayew managed a shot within the Germany penalty area, and Mesut Özil was denied by Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson.[31]
After 60 minutes, Germany took the lead when Özil's long-range strike from outside the penalty box went into the top corner of the Ghana goal. Moments later, Ghana almost found an instant equalizer when Boateng cleared Prince Tagoe's header off the line.[29]
When the game finished 1–0 to Germany, Ghana waited for the result from Nelspruit, where Australia was playing Serbia. With Australia winning 2–1, they finished on equal points as Ghana, but Ghana pipped them to second spot due to having a superior goal difference, thereby qualifying for the round of 16 as the sole team representing Africa.[30]
| Ghana | 0–1 | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 5] |
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Ghana[32]
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    Germany[32]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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Australia vs Serbia
Australia came into the fixture seeking their first win of the tournament. Serbia, having defeated Germany in their previous fixture, only required a draw to progress to the knockout stage.
Harry Kewell, serving a suspension after his sending off against Ghana, was replaced by Joshua Kennedy. This was the first time Kennedy was included in the starting line-up at this World Cup.[33]
In the opening minutes, Serbia had the better of the chances, with Miloš Krasić getting into Australia's penalty area and tumbling following his shirt being pulled by Carl Valeri, but appeals for a penalty were waved away. Minutes later, Krasić found himself one-on-one with Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, but was forced to shoot wide.[33]
In the second half, Australia showed more attacking intent, with Mark Bresciano drawing a fine save from Serbia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojković. After 69 minutes, Luke Wilkshire's cross into the penalty box was headed into the Serbia goal by Tim Cahill. Four minutes later, Brett Holman doubled the advantage for Australia with a long-range strike.[33]
Substitute Marko Pantelić pulled a goal back for Serbia in the 84th minute after Schwarzer spilled a shot from Zoran Tošić. Moments later, Pantelić scored what looked like an equalizing goal, but it was cancelled for offside.[34] At the end of the match, Serbia were denied claims for a penalty when Cahill handballed in his own penalty area after rising for a header.[35]
With the game finishing 2–1 to Australia and Ghana losing to Germany 1–0, Australia ended their campaign third in the group due to their inferior goal difference. Germany topped the group to face England in the round of 16, and Ghana went on to face the United States.
This match was coach Pim Verbeek's last in charge of Australia.[33]
Australia[36]
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 Serbia[36]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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