A gruelling 120 minutes ended with a narrow 1-0 victory for Germany as the world cup drew to a close with a glamorous final at the Maracana.
Mario Gotze’s 113th minute goal gave Germany their fourth title, drawing at par with Italy and remaining just one shy of Brazil total of five.
Substitutes Schurrle and Gotze combined for the goal, Schurrle’s cross finding Gotze in the box, who controlled with his chest and hit a first time volley past Argentina keeper Sergi Romero.
Germany and Argentina remained the last two standing at the end of a gruelling thirty days of action and the two sides locked horns in the iconic Maracana stadium for the honour of being addressed as world champions.
It did not take long for the game to heat up, a headed back pass from Toni Kroos intercepted by an unmarked Higuain. The forward incredulously dragged his shot wide, with Manuel Neuer at his mercy.
Germany kept the bulk of possession, whilst Argentina defended gallantly and hit on the counter, the pace of Higuain, Messi, and Lavessi causing the German defence all sorts of problems.
A similar fast break led to Argentina breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute, but Higuain was offside when he turned in Lavessi’s cross, leaving the scores unchanged.
Germany lifted up their game as the half wore on, particularly after Andre Schurrle was brought on for the injured Kramer. The Chelsea forward hit a thunderbolt towards goal in the 31st minute, but Romero was alert to turn it aside.
A crazy last five minutes of the half first saw Messi rampage down the right flank, but Boateng stuck to him like glue and finally managed to clear; before Howedes saw his header strike the bar just before halftime to end the first half goalless.
The second half commenced with a change from Sabella, Aguero coming on for Lavessi. And Argentina began the half with renewed purpose, Messi getting himself free down the right in the 47th, but he dragged his shot wide across the face of goal.
Argentina were perplexed in the 56th minute after Higuain chased down a long ball, Neuer came out for the punch and knocked Higuain out cold, but the whistle went in favour of the Germans.
The game settled into a frenzied pattern from then on. Lahm’s cross found Klose, but his header bounced off the ground and straight into the arms of Romero. Messi got the chance for Argentina, but could not get enough curl into his shot after creating space for himself.
As the clock ticked down towards fulltime, the pace slacked somewhat, Germany getting in the final chance of the game, but substitute Mario Gotze’s shot was too tame to trouble Argentina stopper Romero.
The first half of extra time was a ballistic affair, with both sides getting glaring chances which were narrowly missed. Schurrle’s shot after great interplay from Germany was fiercely parried away by Romero, before Palacio should have surely given Argentina the lead but he fluffed his one-on-one opportunity with a mishit lobbed ball.
Drama reigned supreme in the second half of extra time, with Germany taking the lead after an initial period of inactivity.
Andre Schurrle went on a mazy run down the left flank, his cross finding Gotze unmarked in the box, the Bayern winger controlling superbly with his chest before rifling the shot into the net seven minutes from time.
The goal rattled Argentina as they poured forward in search of the equaliser to keep their world cup hopes alive. Marcos Rojo sent in two good crosses during this period, but only one connected and Messi’s header fell on the roof of the net.
A last minute free-kick had Argentina hoping, but Messi ballooned the ball into the stands to give Germany the win; Die Mannschaft winning their fourth world cup, a repeat of their last triumph in 1990 when they beat Diego Maradona’s Argentina.
Great game
Nonsense! Argentina’s goal was offside? Yeah, right!
It is my honest that Ghana looses all their first three matches anytime they send kweku bosam to go chant at the stadium…calling God’s name in vain doesn’t fool nobody.