GERMANY: German and Portuguese fans gather in Stuttgart for the World Cup third-place match.

Record ID: 574248

  • Title: GERMANY: German and Portuguese fans gather in Stuttgart for the World Cup third-place match.
  • Date: 8th July 2006
  • Summary: FANS HOLDING UP BANNER SAYING 'WE LOVE RONALDO'
  • Embargoed: 23rd July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9HIJE7PPYZ3IOR15RQ9POLWUN
  • Story Text: Fans of Germany and Portugal have started gathering in Stuttgart ahead of Saturday's (July 8) World Cup third-place match between the two sides.
    The match will see the return of Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn as part of a series of changes coach Juergen Klinsmann has made to his side.
    Kahn, 37, lost his position as German number one to rival Jens Lehmann, who has played in all six of Germany's matches to date.
    Klinsmann has been impressed by Kahn's positive attitude in training and his return to face Portugal in Stuttgart is the former number one's reward.
    Lehmann said on Thursday he would be happy to sit out the match in order to give Kahn a final taste of the World Cup.
    It will be an 86th international appearance for Kahn, who was named the best player of the tournament in South Korea and Japan four years ago.
    Germany will be without captain Michael Ballack, centre back Per Mertesacker and right back Arne Friedrich because of injury.
    Klinsmann said Robert Huth and Marcell Jansen would come into the defence for a match Germany are eager to win to finishing their home tournament on a high note.
    The other outstanding issue for Saturday is to ensure Miroslav Klose finishes the tournament as top scorer.
    Klose has five goals to his name, two more than team mate Lukas Podolski and Thierry Henry, who will lead the France attack in Sunday's final against Italy.
    Portugal's preparations for the game were disrupted when they arrived in Stuttgart from Munich two hours late because of bad weather on the way. The team's plane circled Stuttgart airport several times, before diverting to Frankfurt. It then completed the journey when the weather improved.
    Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said he is not a supporter of the third-place match at the World Cup, as it causes suffering for the teams involved and motivating players only days after they suffered agonising defeats in the semi-finals of the competition is a struggle.
    Hosts Germany were beaten 2-0 by Italy on Tuesday, conceding two goals deep into extra time, and Portugal went down to a 1-0 defeat against France on Wednesday, sunk by a controversial penalty.
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