Germany had progressed past the group stage of the World Cup sixteen times in a row, but booked themselves a premature exit this year after losing to South Korea in stoppage time.
Kim Young-gwon sealed their fate with a 94th minute goal, which was initially disallowed as off-side but a VAR decision saw the decision overturned as the ball came off Niklas Süle.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min then added insult to injury scoring a 96th minute second Korean goal. Though South Korea do not go through to the knock-out stages, the win is the first in their history against Germany.
Group F | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
 Sweden |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
 Mexico |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
 Korea Republic |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
 Germany |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Germany | 0 | - | 1 | Mexico | |
| Moscow – 17 June 2018 6:00 pm | |||||
| Sweden | 1 | - | 0 | Korea Republic | |
| Nizhny Novgorod – 18 June 2018 3:00 pm | |||||
| Korea Republic | 1 | - | 2 | Mexico | |
| Rostov-On-Don – 23 June 2018 6:00 pm | |||||
| Germany | 2 | - | 1 | Sweden | |
| Sochi – 23 June 2018 9:00 pm | |||||
| Korea Republic | 2 | - | 0 | Germany | |
| Kazan – 27 June 2018 5:00 pm | |||||
| Mexico | 0 | - | 3 | Sweden | |
| Ekaterinburg – 27 June 2018 7:00 pm | |||||
Much-changed systematically below:
France 1998 wins
France 2002 out
Italy 2006 wins
Italy 2010 out
Spain 2010 wins
Spain 2014 out
Germany 2014 wins
Germany 2018 out (for first time in history)
Germany dumped out of the World Cup by South Korea.
The opening half saw a much-changed German side, with former talisman Thomas Muller starting on the bench, performing with a lack of quality that has defined their tournament. In the second half the world champions were better and had plenty of attacking chances but just couldn’t find the back of the net.
South Korea’s goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo was dominant throughout, in particular denying Leon Goretzka a 48th-minute header which was on its way to the bottom left corner if not for the keeper’s quick hands. Centre-back Mats Hummels missed an open goal header in the 86th minute in what was Germany’s best chance to grab a winner.
 |
| Kim Young-gwon sealed their fate with a 94th minute goal |
The result meant that Mexico survive and will progress to the last-16 despite their 3-0 loss to Sweden, who go through as the group winners.
Opta’s statistical pointers:
- – Germany are the fourth defending champions to be eliminated from the Group Stage at the World Cup in the last five tournaments (also France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014).
- – This is only the second time that Germany have been eliminated from the First Round at the World Cup having last done so in 1938 – however, this is the first time it has happened when the First Round has been in a group stage format.
- – South Korea have been eliminated from the group stage at consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time since they failed to progress from this stage in each of their first five appearances at the World Cup (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994 & 1998).
- – Germany’s tally of two goals scored at this World Cup is the second fewest managed by a defending champion in the competition, only ahead of France’s zero in 2002.
- – This was Germany’s first ever defeat against an Asian nation in a World Cup match in what was their sixth such match.
- – Germany have failed to score in two of their three World Cup games in 2018, as many as their previous 15 World Cup matches combined.
- – This was South Korea’s first clean sheet at the World Cup since a 2-0 win over Greece in 2010; they had gone eight without a shutout before this match.
- – South Korea have beaten Germany in a World Cup match for the first time, having lost each of the previous two meetings in the competition.
- – Son Heung-Min’s goal for South Korea (95:52) was the latest goal Germany have ever conceded in a World Cup match (excluding extra-time).
- – Since the 2010 edition, Germany have lost both of their World Cup matches in which Thomas Müller has not started (also lost 0-1 to Spain in the 2010 semi-final), compared to 80% when he has started (12 wins in 15 games).
source: telegraph.co.uk
