Germany came into this match having a superior win advantage over Portugal and that trend continued as Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller bagged a hat trick as the Germans stream rolled over 10-man Portugal in a 4-0…
Germany came into this match having a superior win advantage over Portugal and that trend continued as Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller bagged a hat trick as the Germans stream rolled over 10-man Portugal in a 4-0 thrashing in their World Cup Group G opener on Monday.
Much was expected from star player and FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo but it was Thomas Muller, who had scored five goals at the 2010 World Cup, scored 3 goals on the match day to take the game away from the Portuguese. Muller scored either side of the game as defender Mats Hummels’ headed goal as Germany took a 3-0 lead at halftime and added his third goal in the 81st.
Sadly for the Portuguese, they were already 2-0 down before defender Pepe was shown a red card for apparently head-butting. Cristiano Ronaldo started for Portugal at Arena Fonte Nova after overcoming a knee injury but hardly threatened the German keeper. At times, he along with Nani came close of the German goal including a shot from a break that Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer could only block, but there was nobody from Portugal to pounce on the rebound.
Sadly for Portugal, it only got worse for them as the match progressed. Besides losing Pepe to a red car, striker Hugo Almeida was also stretchered off due to an injury. Left-back Fabio Coentrao injured a groin muscle and was helped off the field in 65th, to be replaced by Andre Almeida.
It seemed Cristiano Ronaldo was not fully ‘match fit’ coming into this big game and it clearly showed. The Real Madrid forward looked out of depth and touch and his free-kicks were wayward. Germany on the other hand, out muscled and overpowered the Portuguese and are now clear favourites to top the group.
