GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Fans celebrate as Miroslav Klose double fires Germany to top spot in Group A

Record ID: 647300

  • Title: GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Fans celebrate as Miroslav Klose double fires Germany to top spot in Group A
  • Date: 2nd June 2006
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JUNE 20, 2006) (REUTERS WIDE OF FANS IN PUBLIC VIEWING AREA WATCHING THE GAME MORE OF FANS CHEERING AND BRANDISHING FLAGS CLOSE OF GIRLS CHEERING CLOSE OF GIRL WITH GERMAN FLAG WIDE OF FANS CLOSE OF FANS CHEERING FANS ON TRAFFIC LIGHTS BRANDISHING GERMAN FLAGS MORE OF FANS ON FAN MILE (SOUNDBITE) (German) FAN SUSANNE MOELLER, SAYING "It´s how the German team played today. They have played strikingly, it was just great. The vibes here are great. Everybody should come here." (SOUNDBITE) (German) KAI RAMELOW, SAYING "Beautiful, just beautiful. Three-nil, what more do could we wish for?" CHEERING FANS WIDE OF STADIUM WITH MAN FLYING THE ECUADORIAN FLAG DRESSED UP GERMAN FAN WALKING PAST WIDE OF ECUADORIAN FANS (SOUNDBITE)(English) UNNAMED ECUADOR FAN, SAYING "I think the reserved some players for the finals, I think that was a bad idea. Three-nothing is not so good. But anyway, we have qualified, we are very happy and looking forward to the next match." WIDE OF FANS LEAVING STADIUM GERMAN FAN HEADLOCKING ECUADOR FAN MORE OF FANS LEAVING WIDE OF CARS ON BERLIN´S FAMOUS SHOPPING STREET KURFUERSTENDAMM CLOSE OF GERMANY FANS FLYING FLAGS FROM CAR WIDE OF FANS LINING THE STREET CLOSE OF FLAG / PULL OUT TO CAR DRIVING AWAY CLOSE OF CAR'S OCCUPANTS WAVING GERMAN FLAGS MORE OF CARS DECORATED WITH CARS FANS CHEERING MAN DRESSED IN GERMAN FLAG BRANDISHING GERMAN NATIONAL BANNERS MORE OF FANS IN CARS (SOUNDBITE) (German) PLS IGNORE CLOSE OF FLAGS WAVING FROM CARS WIDE OF CARS WITH FANS BRANDISHING FLAGS WIDE OF KURFUERSTENDAMM WITH DECORATED CARS
  • Embargoed: 17th June 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4VI55TVXS3FQ1NRPFH913IM8V
  • Story Text: Black, red and golden flags were flying and jubilation echoed through Berlin´s fan mile as Germany scored their first goal against Ecuador on Tuesday (June 20).
    Ecstatic fans danced and cheered at the sound of the final whistle that saw Germany beat Ecuador three-nil. "Beautiful, just beautiful. Three-nil, what more do could we wish for?" Germany fan Kai Ramelow told Reuters. "It´s how the German team played today. They have played strikingly, it was just great. The vibes here are great." Germany fan Susanne Moeller added. More than 700.000 fans had filed into Berlin´s public viewing area at the Brandenburg Gate, according to police. Miroslav Klose struck twice to lead Germany to a 3-0 win over a half-hearted Ecuador on Tuesday, sealing first place in Group A for the World Cup hosts.
    Klose, who also scored two in the opening day 4-2 win over Costa Rica, swooped for his first in the fourth minute of a match played in stifling humidity at the Olympiastadion.
    The Polish-born forward made it 2-0 just before the interval as Ecuador, who go through to the last 16 in second spot, showed little desire to scrap it out.
    Fellow striker Lukas Podolski slid in the third in the 57th minute after a good cross from midfielder Bernd Schneider.
    German coach Juergen Klinsmann said it was mission accomplished for a team capturing the imagination of fans across the host nation.
    Germany will play the runners-up in Group B -- either Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago or England -- in the second round. Ecuador, who qualified in second place after winning their first two games, will play the Group B winners - England or Sweden.
    Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez said his team had not been at their best.
    "Germany played a great match but we contributed to their good display," he told reporters. "It was a bit of both.
    "I don't want to take away from the performance of the German team but I think we could have done better." Ecuador fans still put on a brave face, emphasising the fact they didn´t need the win. "I think the reserved some players for the finals, I think that was a bad idea. Three-nothing is not so good. But anyway, we have qualified, we are very happy and looking forward to the next match" an Ecuador Fan toldReuters after the match at Berlin´s Olympic stadium. Second place in the group is still a triumph for Ecuador, who were eliminated in the first round on their first appearance at the finals in 2002.
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