- Germany
Now the national anthem of Germany - Deutschlandlied
From the Meuse to the Memel,
From the Adige to the Belt,
Germany, Germany above everything,
Above everything in the world!
- Argentina
Now the Argentina anthem:
Hear, mortals, the sacred scream:
"Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!"
Hear the noise of broken chains
See the noble Equality enthroned
Lahm and Messi shake hands. Two of the smallest men on the pitch.
Here we go. The 2014 FIFA World Cup about to get underway.
Germany enjoy early possession but lose it when Jerome Boateng looks for a wide long ball.
Argentina kick the ball away through and Germanty sit on the ball again. Ozil with a chance near the box but can't get a shot away. Thomas Mueller then fouled near the box and Germany with an early freekick. 30m out right in the middle.
- Germany
German freekick. Big chance early on. Who will shoot?
Schweinsteiger hits it straight into the wall. And Argentina break down the field. Lavezzi and Higuain link up before Higuain fires a shot across the face of goal. Great counter by Argentina there.
Germany on the attack again by Ozil can't find a man in the box. Straight down the other end with Argentina on the attack now. They eventually get a throw-in deep in German half.
Germany now with a throw-in near the corner but a weak cross from Mueller is easily caught by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. End-to-end start but Germans on top.
Messi yet to get in the game but that's mainly because the only Argentine possession has been on the break. Just as I write that the little Argentine number 10 makes a run down the righthand side.
He gets past the big Hummels with ease but can't find a teammate in the middle.
Zabaleta with a cross but it doesn't find a player. Argentina have a corner through. First of the game
Argentina with a few chances in the last two minutes. Not clear chances but they are getting forward. Now Germany break.
But they give away the ball in the Argentina half.
A cross comes into the Argentina box but Klose can't get anything on it. Demichelis making sure of that.
Another freekick for Germany.
This one is to the right. Ozil sends it in but doesn't find a German head and Argentina clear.
Germany now with a corner and Toni Kroos sends in a low drive but Argentina clear yet again.
According to match stats: Germany have had 60% of possession in opening 16 minutes. But Argentina have had 2 shots on goal to Germany's 1.
Christoph Kramer is down. He's the player who got a late call-up just minutes before the start of the game.
Looks like he got an elbow to the face. But he's up. You don't leave a World Cup final.
- Argentina
Gonzalo Higuain misses a clear chance on goal. A gift and he couldn't put it away. Toni Kroos payed a header back to his keeper but Gonzalo Higuain got in the path. One on one and he put it wide.
That's the best chance so far. Argentina should be 1-0 up. Kroos saved by Higuain's failure to finish.
Germany now on the attack as they get inside the Argentine box but Klose can't get a shot off as the ball falls to his feet. Argentina clear.
Into the final few minutes of the first half now. Argentina with the ball in the German half. They haven't enjoyed that much time on attack but have made the most of the little chances they've had.
Messi goes close to scoring. Another run down the righthand side but the German defense hold strong. He just needed to get a ball across goal and Argentina would have had a decent chance to go up.
Germany back on attack as they look to get a late goal before halftime. Argentine defense continues to deny them any decent chances on goal.
Mascherano gives the ball away in midfield and Germany break. Ozil finds Kroos on the edge of the box but a tame shot goes straight to Romeo.
Thomas Mueller with another testing cross but too much for Klose as it goes inbetween the German striker and Romero for a goalkick.
Germany with a corner as we pass the 45 minute mark. Can they get a goal just before the break?
Another corner for Germany as Argentine head puts it back over the goalline.
Kroos headers it straight into the post. So close to the opening goal. Flag goes up after the rebound as Mueller is offside. But the header was clean and would have counted.
Correction - It was Benedikt Hoewedes with the header that hit the post. The closest Germany came to scoring in the first half.
So it's 0-0 at the break. Plenty of near misses but no goals. Germany with 64% of possession and three shots on target. Gonzalo Higuain with the best chance to score after Kroos sent a header back towards his goalie. Higuain pounced on the ball and had a one-on-one with Neuer but blasted the shot well wide.
Messi has had a few decent runs and has had not trouble getting around the big Mats Hummels on the righthand side but has been shut down once reaching the box.
Cracking final so far. Just needs some goals.
