Germany took a 3-0 lead over Portugal at halftime of their Group G game at the World Cup in Brazil as Thomas Mueller scored twice. Portugal was reduced to 10 men after Pepe was sent off for headbutting the German.
Mueller scored with a 12th-minute penalty kick and then scored again just before halftime in Salvador as the Portuguese defense failed to clear a corner kick. Mats Hummels scored a headed goal in the 32nd minute.
Mueller was involved in the other significant action of the half. He went down after Pepe’s hand made contact with his face as they battled for the ball outside the Portuguese penalty area. With Mueller seated on the ground, Pepe leaned forward and his head made contact with the German striker’s. Serbian referee Milorad Mazic dismissed Pepe with a red card.
In the 12th minute, Mueller scored from the penalty spot after Mario Goetze was brought down. Joao Pereira received a yellow card for the foul.
Hummels outleaped Portugal’s defenders on a corner kick and headed the ball in past Rui Patricio in the Portugal goal in 20 minutes later.
Germany’s match with Portugal is the first of three for today. The U.S. meets Ghana in another Group G match, and Iran takes on Nigeria in Group F.
The top two teams in each group move on to the round of 16, with the winner of one group playing the runnerup of another.
Yesterday, Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup goal in eight years and created another asArgentina won its opening Group F match at soccer’s World Cup in Brazil. France and Switzerland had victories in Group E games.
Argentina defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1. France beat Honduras 3-0 as Karim Benzema scored twice and was involved in the third, which was awarded using goal-line technology for the first time. The Swiss got a goal with one of the last kicks of their match to beat Ecuador 2-1.
via@Bloomberg