Germans prove their mettle

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-21  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Germany's Miroslav Klose (left) heads in his side's second goal at the Euro 2008 quarterfinal match against Portugal in Basel, Switzerland, on Thursday. More in photo gallery

---

THOUSANDS of flag-clad fans cheered and streets were choked with cars honking horns after Germany's unexpectedly impressive European Championship quarterfinal victory over Portugal brought back a little of the World Cup magic from two years ago.

The 3-2 victory had Germany's No. 1 fan, Chancellor Angela Merkel, enthusing over "an incredible performance" and setting her sights on the final.

An estimated 35,000 fans followed Thursday's final at Germany's biggest outdoor fan festival in Hamburg - a sea of black, red and yellow German flags. Afterward, about 10,000 dancing, singing and flag-waving fans took over the city's Reeperbahn boulevard.

Across the country, the win was greeted with fireworks and the traditional German parades of honking cars _ many bedecked with flags left over from the World Cup. Some 40,000 fans celebrated in Munich and 26,000 in Cologne.

"This is just the quarterfinals," 32-year-old fan Oliver Hell said in Hamburg. "What will this be like if we become European champions?

"It's like the World Cup in 2006," he said, recalling the wave of euphoria that swept Germany along as the team played its way to third place at home in 2006.

Germany went into Euro 2008 viewed then as favorite, but then lost to Croatia in a grim performance that left fans agonizing about a possible early exit at the hands of Austria. Thursday's victory, won with coach Joachim Loew banished from the bench, washed away the doubts.

"If we can win without Jogi, we'll definitely win with him," said 32-year-old Peter Lichterbeck, who followed the match at a Hamburg pub. "The saying that we are a tournament team is right."

The Germans were disciplined in defence, getting nine men behind the ball when Portugal was in possession, and scored three goals, shared between Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack, via one lightning break and two set-pieces.

"Against Portugal we had great structure, organization and discipline," said Loew, who had to watch the match from the stands after picking up a one-match ban from UEFA.

"We had courage and good combinations going forward. All the things we did right in the past we got right tonight.

"We're going to do everything we can to reach the final."

Germany next face either Croatia or Turkey in the last four.

That means they could be given a chance to correct the mistakes made against the Croatians in the group phase.

"We'd love to show we have the right answer against Croatia," said assistant coach Hansi Flick, who did an impeccable job deputizing for Loew on the bench.

"But we've already shown that Germany are a good tournament team, willing to fight to the last minute."