A ruthlessly efficient Germany tamed Brazil on Sunday to win the women's football World Cup final 2-0 with goals from Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr. The victory made them the first nation to successfully defend their title.
The Germans also owed a huge debt to unbeatable goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who saved a second-half penalty from World Player of the Year Marta that left the Brazilians numb.
The result meant Germany's watertight defence went through the entire tournament without conceding a goal.
Captain Prinz got the breakthough in front of a packed Hongkou Football Stadium after 52 minutes when the veteran Frankfurt forward found herself in acres of space when fed the ball by Sandra Smisek.
She thundered a shot on the turn from inside the box and it slid under the diving Andreia, who should have done better.
Brazil came back with a vengeance but no matter what they threw at impregnable Germany they couldn't find the equaliser, and Laudehr's bullet header four minutes from time put the game beyond their reach.
In the third-place play-off, two-time champions the United States beat Norway 4-1.
The American's tournament top-scorer Abby Wambach struck either side of the break with Lori Chalupny and Heather O'Reilly also weighing in before Ragnhild Gulbrandsen got her sixth of the championships for Norway.
© 2024 Rediff.com -