World Cup 2018: Toni Kroos strike keeps Germany away from the brink of exit

The journey from disdain to light took Germany barely seconds, beyond which awaited a World Cup without the world champions but Toni Kroos converted a 95th winner and Germany stayed alive to live another day – the four time winners beating Sweden 2-1 at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Saturday.

Until Kroos’ gorgeous free-kick that beat goalkeeper Robin Olsen into the top-right corner, Germany were on the brink of exit. Had that happened it would have been third straight time the holders egressed the tournament from the Group stage.

But Germany couldn’t let that occur for they have not been taught to live with scorns and instead they fought for the winner, even if it meant fighting with 10 men – defender Jerome Boateng was shown a second yellow in the 82nd minute. ‘Die Mannschaft‘ eventually grabbed the winner when Kroos curled in a shot from set-piece after Marco Reus had set him up. It still didn’t guarantee them a knockout berth, but snatched their fate from Sweden’s hands into their own and a victory by big margin over South Korea will see them sail through.

It however didn’t seemed like Germany could even come this far when Ola Toivonen chipped the ball over Manuel Neuer to give Sweden a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Kroos was at fault there, callously giving away the ball from which Viktor Claesson found Toivonen, well behind the German defence.

It put the 2014 champions on the brink of exit, they were aware that even a draw wasn’t the desired result let alone a defeat and although were forced to replace Sebastian Rudy early into the match, Germany had kept Sweden, every minute on the edge. Marco Reus, Thomas Muller, İlkay Gündoğan and Timo Werner had all come close but failed to beat Olsen, who seemed unmovable on the night.

One wouldn’t have been wrong to consider Germany’s shock group stage defeat because the last time ‘Die Mannschaft‘ had bounced back after going behind at half-time was in 1974. That victory had come against the same opposition, but this Sweden team was different.

Janne Andersson had moulded his boys in a way they could hold any world class team and they did atleast for the first 45 minutes – a period during which German onslaught fetched no goals.

Reus then levelled terms immediately after the interval, with Werner splitting the Sweden defence before the Borussia Dortmund forward diverted the ball home. It wasn’t the classic German goal but was just enough. Germany were part of the World Cup again, they had hopes again. Something which was lost after the shock 0-1 defeat to Mexico and after going behind in this match.

But the second goal shouldn’t have mattered for ‘Blågult‘, had they scored, during moments they had the German defence in totters. But while Marcus Berg missed their first opportunity, denied a penalty after being shoved at the back by Boateng, Claesson missed the next deciding to cut back instead of firing into an open net.

The defeat left Sweden on three points, the same as Germany and both will want a victory when they take on Mexico and South Korea respectively.