Germany defender Jerome Boateng became the first player to be red-carded at the FIFA World Cup 2018 on Saturday.
However, that did not hurt the defending champions much and despite being reduced to 10 men in the 82nd minute of the match, Germany secured a nervy 2-1 win over Sweden to keep their campaign alive.
A fifth minute stoppage-time goal from Toni Kroos gave holders Germany a dramatic win to reignite their hopes of qualifying for the pre-quarterfinals of the tournament. Germany had suffered a shock defeat against Mexico in their first match of the World Cup.
Boateng became the seventh player from Germany to get a red card in a World Cup match.
Boateng also became the first German player to be sent off in a World Cup match since Miroslav Klose against Serbia in the 2010 World Cup.
The German defender had earlier got away with a foul on Sweden’s Marcus Berg in the box. VAR was once again criticised on social media.
Sweden took the lead in the 32nd minute when Ola Toivonen finished confidently after Kroos gave the ball away in midfield.
Marco Reus equalised in the 48th minute, meeting a low cross from Timo Werner, and despite having Boateng sent off in the 82nd minute, Germany found their winner from Kroos.
Kroos curled in a superb strike from an indirect free kick to grab the three points for the four-time world champions who are now level with Sweden in Group F on three points and behind Mexico who have six.
The victory helped Germany avert a major disaster. It was their first come from behind victory in a World Cup game for Germany in 20 years.
The last time Germany won a match after conceding the first goal was way back in the 1998 edition when they beat Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16.
Jurgen Klinsmann and Oliver Bierhoff came to Germany’s rescue back then. 20 years later the defending champions had to depend on Reus and Kroos to avoid the biggest upset in this year’s World Cup.
Had they lost this game it would have been the third consecutive World Cup where the defending champion got knocked out of contention before the knockout stage after Spain (2014) and Italy (2010).
Overall there, have been five instances in the past where the world champions got knocked out in the group stage after Italy (1950), Brazil (1966), France (2002), Italy (2010) and Spain (2014).
The 1938 World Cup in France remains the only edition in which Germany failed to reach the knockout stage.