# Sports

2018 FIFA World Cup | South Korea send defending champions Germany packing

Germany had a glut of chances, but failed to put them away and paid the price.

SNS | New Delhi | June 27, 2018 10:36 pm

2018 FIFA World Cup | South Korea send defending champions Germany packing

Thanks to some heroic goalkeeping from Hyeon-woo Joo and a fair share of luck, South Korea exited the 2018 FIFA World Cup in style, stunning defending champions Germany 2-0 in their Group F encounter, ensuring Die Mannschaft’s early exit in the process.

Wednesday’s encounter at the Kazan Arena saw Joachim Loew’s men get humbled, despite dominating large swathes of the tie.

In fact, both of Korea’s goals came in the dying stages, deep in injury-time, when the Germans had thrown caution to the wind in an attempt to find the breakthrough.

The first, saw the much-maligned VAR redeem itself as it correctly adjudged Kim Young-Gwon’s close-range strike in the 94th minute to be onside.

Then, as Manuel Neuer went up top in a bid to force the equaliser, Korea launched a Hail Mary pass that found the bright Heung-Min Son with an empty goal to stroke into and it really was the final nail in the coffin.

DON’T MISS | Liverpool confirm Naby Keita’s jersey number

In the end, had Germany even equalised, it wouldn’t have mattered for Sweden thumped Mexico 3-0 in the other Group F game on the night, but there will undoubtedly be an inquest as the European powerhouses return home.

The likes of Thomas Mueller, Mesut Ozil, to name a few, all disappointed not for the first time in Russia and despite their tears at the full-time whislte, there is bound to be a severe backlash in the days to come.

For the first time in their history, Germany have lost two of their three group-stage games and nobody can say they didn’t deserve to get knocked out, but the fact that they finished last in their group will rankle many.