While Germany led 1-0 at half-time, Mali managed to equalise in the second half and hold on to win 4-3 on penalties to knock Germany out of the competition. PHOTO: AFP
On a day when the flare that has been the hallmark of the tournament disappeared, Senegal’s 1-0 win over Uzbekistan was the only game to finish in regulation time.
Brazil against Portugal and Serbia against the USA both produced 120 scoreless minutes of regulation and extra time before Brazil and Serbia came through on penalties.
The young Germans, with high hopes of joining their seniors as World Cup holders, led 1-0 at half-time against Mali — only for the West Africans to equalise in the second half and hold on to win 4-3 on penalties.
The dogged Malians refused to bend after a Julian Brandt volley from a Hany Mukhtar free-kick gave Germany the lead in the 38th minute.
But the Germans were hampered after prolific scorer Marc Stendera was forced to leave the field, and missed a chance to go two-up when Mukhtar failed from the spot after a foul on Jeremy Dudziak.
That fired up Mali who responded immediately down the left flank with Souleymane Coulibaly heading a cross from Youssouf Kone past goalkeeper Marvin Schwaebe.
Both sides missed chances through the remainder of the second half and extra time, with the outcome not decided until Niklas Stark missed the crucial fifth penalty.
Portugal rue string of missed chances
Portugal were their own worst enemies against Brazil as they dominated from the opening whistle but failed to find the back of the net despite several shots on goal.
Gelson Martins, Portugal’s hero against New Zealand to get them into the quarter-finals, shot wide three times.
As the clash of the tournaments two most potent sides failed to live up to expectations, it boiled down to penalties where Andreas Pereira and Rony Lopes converted the first two shots.
Portugal’s elation at Lucao’s missing Brazil’s second penalty quickly evaporated when Andre Silva, Nuno Santos and Raphael Guzzo all failed, while Danilo and Gabriel Jesus settled the outcome.
Thiam takes Senegal through, Serbia down USA
A Mamadou Thiam strike in the 77th minute was enough to get unfancied Senegal into the final four with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan.
Remi Nassalan created space for a ball into the middle that Thiam gratefully slotted home.
Meanwhile, Serbia, who only scrapped into the quarter-finals courtesy of an extra-time goal against Hungary, battled through two hours of largely forgettable football against the United States before triumphing 6-5 in a tense shootout.
Both sides missed three penalties before John Requejo missed a fourth for the USA allowing Nemanja Maksimovic to put Serbia into a semi-final against Mali with Brazil playing Senegal in the other semi.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2015.
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