'Don't Messi with Argentina' line falls flat

'Don't Messi with Argentina' said a banner in the stands

CAPE TOWN: 'Don't Messi with Argentina' said a banner in the stands. The eleven Germans on the pitch at Cape Town's elegant Green Point Stadium did not take notice.

World footballer of the year, Lionel Messi failed to find his mojo all evening. The Barcelona ace looked a forlorn figure as he was afforded little time and space on the ball by Germany's midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The few times Messi did manage to wriggle free and create space, he either shot straight at the German keeper or chose the wrong option.

Man-of-the-match Schweinsteiger was a powerhouse in the middle of the park. Germany's playmaker was the difference between the two teams. The way he waltzed through the Argentine defence to give Arne Friedrich a simple tap-in goal on 74 minutes defined Schweinsteiger's genius.

German fans celebrate their team's victoryu00a0 over Argentina in Cape Town. Pic/AFP

Chancellor Angela Merkel flew in specially and cheered her young brigade lustily, as did Germany's injured former skipper Michael Ballack from the sidelines.

"I have no advice to give the team, everything is going really well, what they have achieved so far is fantastic," Ballack said modestly on the eve of the match.

But Ballack heartily joined the celebrations as the black, red and gold fan army partied through the night in Cape Town.

"This team gives us German people a sense of pride to celebrate our nationality without the stigma of old. Joachim Low's side is very reflective of modern, mixed Germanyu00a0-- a country rising in a new image," visiting fan Maria Mueller told Mid-day.

South Africans have also taken the Teutonic warriors to heart. "Nobody can beat them now," said Thabiso from Cape Town. "There is a real steel in this German side. They have shown us how to play organised football."